


Drabbles

by darkmystress00



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-17
Updated: 2016-12-04
Packaged: 2018-03-31 00:50:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 25,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3958258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkmystress00/pseuds/darkmystress00
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A bunch of mini fics, drabbles and ficlets that I have posted to Tumblr.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In Living Color

Prompt: Soulmates AU  
Word count: 2019  
Warnings: Mention of character death  
  
Description: Everyone knows the world is black and white. Colors are just a thing from long told myths about soulmates and destiny. Or that was what Beth had always been told. Now, she’s staring at a world of color and has no idea which one of her rescuers could possibly be the key that unlocked this wonderful new world.  
  
  
  
Beth sat quietly by the fire watching the yellow and orange flames crackle and twist in the dimming light  as the sun set over the horizon. When she’d woken up this morning things had been simple. Her Mama and Daddy had still been alive, along with her older sister Maggie. She’d been happy, but most importantly…when she woke up this morning, her world was still black and white.  
  
It was common knowledge that the world was black and white for everyone (even the walkers mulling around had seen black and white when they’d still been alive and been human.) The world was black and white for everyone and that was just fact. There was this myth that people liked to tell, a myth that said, back in the old days (before the dead started rising and killing every living thing they touched) that once you met your soul mate you could see the hidden colors of the world. Colors like reds, and purples, and blues. God how Beth had longed to see blue. She had always day dreamed about what blue might look like. But Beth, like everyone else still left in this rotting world, had just assumed that the myth was just that…a myth. Something people liked to tell to make themselves feel better. They blamed the fact that the walkers had killed most of the population for the reason that no one saw these mysterious colors, but Beth had always had a deep seated belief that the world was just black and white, and colors were just made up nonsense to try to turn a shit situation into something tolerable.  
  
Now, staring at the beautiful colors of the flames and the burning embers of the campfire, Beth realized exactly how wrong she was. Her eyes flick around the group. She really should be grateful to them. She really should. She was all alone in the world now. She replayed the memory in her mind.  
  
_“Bethy…you go make sure your daddy gets those horses penned before it gets dark.” Her mama’s voice floated out to the porch where Beth sat, knees curled up almost under her chin, as she wrote in a notebook that was sitting in her lap. She sighed, set her notebook and pen down to the side and stood, making her way down to the barn where her daddy was penning the horses for the night. She heard the neighing and thrashing of the horses before she sensed anything was amiss. Opening the doors to the barn, she called out to her daddy, noticing as she was halfway inside that he was no where to be found. Suddenly she heard her name being screamed across the field separating the white house from the old red barn._  
  
_Turning on her heel she stifled the urge to bolt, watching in horror as her mother, sister, and father were losing ground to the mega herd coming up hot on their heels. Maggie let off a round from a pistol she carried ALWAYS, turning only to barely aim and pull the trigger. The noise startled Beth into action and she felt her feet carrying her towards her family. She watched as her mother tripped, going down to her knees and crawling for all the was worth, trying and failing to escape the clutches of the gurgling dead behind her. Maggie’s horrified scream hit Beth’s ears just as her feet froze beneath her. Beth watched as her mother, screaming and crying, disappeared beneath a sea of the undead. She felt her insides turn to ice as she watched her father turn as if to save her, losing valuable ground away from the monsters._  
  
_Maggie grabbed his arm, and tried to drag him along, but Beth knew there was no way Hershel Greene, beloved husband of Annette Greene, would just turn and high-tail it away when his wife was being ripped asunder before his very eyes. Hershel pulled his arm away from Maggie, looking towards the barn where Beth stood, still frozen by the horror of it all, and she knew. She knew this would be the last time she would see her father alive. He pulled Maggie into a quick hug and then shoved her away, towards Beth with a quick “Look after your sister!” which Beth wasn’t sure if it was meant for her, or Maggie._  
  
_“Beth! Run! Run for the woods. I’m right behind you!” Maggie screamed as she ran towards her. Beth’s last vision of her father was him standing tall, facing down the mob, shooting off round after round from a handgun. Beth ran. She ran until she didn’t recognize the trees anymore. She ran until she couldn’t hear Maggie crunching leaves and branches behind her. She ran until she couldn’t breathe. She ran until she couldn’t see around the tears in her eyes. She ran until her legs gave out and she crumbled into a sobbing mess in the middle of the mud. And that was exactly how they found her…_  
  
_“Hey…” a soft touch on her shoulder and her eyes whipped up and took in the faces of the group surrounding her, guns out but not drawn. She stared at each of them before she suddenly realized she could see their clothes, covered with grime and dingy with wear, had colors she’d never seen before. Greens, and off-whites, and musty blues. That had been when her world turned upside down._  
  
“Hey.” A boy, younger than her (maybe early teenager) with brown hair sat down next to her. He handed her a half empty can of beans. “It isn’t much, but it’s all we got for right now. At least until we can find somewhere to set up camp and do a run.” She nodded, delicately taking the can. “I’m Carl.” He said as he watched her take a small bite. He pointed to different people in their group. “The woman with the sword is Michonne.” He motioned to a woman with the deepest, prettiest brown skin she’d ever laid eyes on. She was holding a little pink baby girl, with hair a russet brown that almost looked like it had red in it if the light hit it just right. “The baby is my sister Judith. Our mom died having her. The group kind of took on different roles to help out with her after.” His hand shifted to an older woman, with silver hair (a color Beth was very familiar with) and the most shockingly green eyes. Beth wanted to just sit and stare at her eyes to memorize the color, but knew better of it. “That’s Carol. She’s kind of the den mother of the group. She lost her daughter a while back and has been having a hard time coping.” Beth nodded numbly, her mind floating back to her family, lost to her now. “That’s my dad, Rick, with the beard, and Glenn is the guy talking to him.” Glenn was an asian kid that was probably about the same age as Maggie.  
  
“Maggie woulda liked him.” She mumbled softly. Carl just stared at her. “Maggie’s my sister. She’da liked him.”  
  
“My dad?” He cried sounding almost affronted. Beth couldn’t help it. She let out a peel of laughter she didn’t know she still had buried inside her.  
  
“No!” She smiled and motioned with her finger. “Glenn. My sister is the same age.” Her eyes danced around the little clearing and landed on the most striking set of blue eyes she’d ever seen. Yeah, she liked the color blue the most, and it was because of those eyes. “Who’s that?” She asked softly, her eyes dropping down to the can in her hands and away from Mr. Piercing-Blue-Eyes.  
  
“That? That’s Daryl. He doesn’t talk much, but he’s the best hunter and tracker out there. He’s how we found you. Said he could hear you running through the brush a mile away.” She chanced a glance up at him once more, unnerved to see that he was still staring at her with an unreadable expression on his face. She nodded, but she didn’t know what for, and continued to stare down at the can of beans, now empty.  
  
“Thanks…for the food, and…for letting me stay with you.”  
  
“You’re welcome.” She heard Rick call Carl and watched as he wordlessly stood and walked over to him. That left Beth alone, with Daryl Piercing-Blue-Eyes, still staring holes into her head. She chose to stare into the fire some more, rather than stare at his muscular arms, or think about how his hair was so deep brown that it almost looked black. She tried desperately not to think about how soft the black leather of his vest might feel under her fingers, or how the fletchings of his crossbow bolts were the most electric orange and green she ever could have imagined.  
  
It wasn’t long before they were snuffing out the brilliant orange and red coals, and settling in for a night of sleep. Rick was taking the first watch, and letting everyone else get some sleep. Beth felt a shiver wrack her body as she wrapped her arms around her middle and pulled her legs up to try to conserve some of her heat. She hadn’t grabbed anything before she left the farm (there hadn’t been any time) and it was starting to cool down now that autumn was rolling on in. She rested her head back against a tree and let out a pent up breath. Something soft and thick brushed her side and she jerked her eyes open to stare up at Daryl who was standing next to her holding out what appeared to be either a blanket, or a poncho. She blinked a couple times and just stared at it. “Take it. You’re cold’n need it more’n me.” He grumbled. Her hands came up and grasped the soft fabric, pulling it over her body. “Looks, better on you anyway.” She barely caught him whisper it under his breath before he turned to walk away.  
  
“It’s red.” She said simply. He turned around and looked at her.  
  
“Yeah…didn’t realize it until…this afternoon.” He was shifting uncomfortably as she stared at him and she wanted to smile at him. “You can see it too?” She nodded and tried to smile awkwardly at him. “Huh…just figured bein’ a Dixon that would be broken too.” He looked at her, one corner of his lips quirking up in the barest of a smile. “Glad it’s not.” She patted the ground next to her.  
  
“Sit with me Mr. Dixon. Tell me all about your favorite colors.” He sat down awkwardly next to her.  
  
“So far…I think I’m leanin’ towards yellow.” She looked at him curiously and his hand came up to finger a loose lock of her hair. She smiled shyly.    
“Well, yellow’s nice…but blue is the best by far.” He blinked, a slow smile quirking his lips. Gently she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. “You know what I’m really excited for?” a quiet ‘mm’ sounded by her head. “To see the sunset and all the colors I’ve been told about. Think it’s really as pretty as all the stories say?”  
  
“Dunno…” She could see his cheeks tinting red and knew he was working up the courage to say something to her. “But it can’t be as pretty as you.” He finally rumbled out in a rush. She smiled softly, a quiet secret little smile. “Don’t tell nobody I said that.” and she could tell he was just trying to lighten the mood and had no idea what he was doing. It was cute and endearing and she loved it, because honestly, she had no idea either.  
  
“Don’t worry…your secret is safe with me.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she felt her eyes drift closed, the horrors of the day fading from her memory as she drifted into a vivid and beautifully colored dream filled with deep blue eyes and almost-black hair.  
  



	2. Coffee Grounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beth has an admirer at the coffee shop.

The first time she walked in, it was like she dragged in the sunshine with her. Daryl remembered vividly. It was a grossly overcast day, that had a chill in the air uncommon for a day this early in September. She’d ordered a simple cup of tea, and Daryl was ashamed to admit that he’d watched her doctor it with rapt attention, so precise he could duplicate the drink for her now six months later.  
  
As it got colder she’d come in more often, sometimes with friends, sometimes with that loud-mouthed sister of hers, but never with a boy. Some days she’d come in, golden hair down and loose, sometimes she’d come in with a scarf around her neck, and hair up in a ponytail that damn near hid the braid she had tucked along the side of her head. Some days she’d have text books, some days just her phone with headphones tucked into one ear (the other hung down her shoulder so she could hear him repeat her order when he said it back to her.) He liked the days she came in with her texts the most. She’d sit over at a corner table, tuck her headphones in her ears, open her books and just sit…for hours! He noticed when she was thinking about what she read she was very intent on the words, when she was just reading for pleasure she’d lounge back and oftentimes would play with the ends of her hair (more like a habit than something she did purposefully.) Daryl felt like a creep because he noticed these little things about her. He felt like a creep for noticing that on bitter cold days she’d order a spiced cider, rather than a tea or coffee. He noticed on days she wasn’t feeling well, she’d order a large tea, with double bags and would dose it with a good helping of their organic local honey. He noticed on the days she’d walk in and just stand by the door she was usually deciding whether or not she wanted to order a slice of their spice bread along with her drink.   
  
Yeah, Daryl felt like the worlds biggest creep because he noticed all these little things about her, but when she would walk up to the counter, with a big smile and a warm, “Hello Daryl. How are you today?” He couldn’t make himself muster up the guilt he knew he should feel at having her order already rung up and ready for her to pick up. When she stared at him like he was the most interesting person in the world as he talked about working on his brother’s motorcycle he couldn’t make himself feel bad about the fact that he was damn near twice her age. He just felt like the luckiest S.O.B. in the world that she was giving him the time of day.   
  
When Beth missed her normal trip to the coffee shop Daryl had been bummed, but that had been nothing compared to the worry that had clawed at his gut when he was looking at over a month of not seeing her face, not hearing her voice, not seeing her smile. That wasn’t like Beth. She rarely missed a day. Her once a week trip had slowly evolved into a daily visit that Daryl had started looking forward to. When she missed the first day he’d been bummed, two days had been a bit sad, three days had seen him all out of sorts, but after a week worry had been his constant companion. What if something had happened to her? He had no idea what her last name was so there was no way he could look her up just to check on her. (Because that wasn’t creepy at all…nope not. at. all.)   
  
Almost a month and a half after her last visit, Beth waltz (well most like barely made it inside the door) back into the coffee shop, but Daryl barely recognized her. She ordered a coffee, black, and took it quietly to her table, where she sat just staring at the wall listlessly. He watched her for all of two minutes before calling into the back, tossing his apron on the counter, and walking over to her table, with a cup of tea fixed just the way she liked it. “Hey Beth…missed you ‘round these parts.” He rumbled, setting the tea down next to her untouched cup of coffee. “Everything ok?” He heard himself ask as he pulled dup a chair next to her. She shrugged lightly with one shoulder but wouldn’t look at him.   
  
“Yeah…just been busy.” Her voice was so empty of the light and bubbly laughter he was used to hearing he didn’t know who she was.   
  
“I’ve known you a long time, but I’ve never known you to lie to me girl.” Her eyes snapped up to his shocked. “What’s been goin’ on really?” Her eyes darted down and he was suddenly filled with a deep sense of panic as he watched her eyes well up with tears.   
  
“My mama and brother died last month. Haven’t been feeling much up to seein’ people.” Her voice cracked as the first tear fell, and before he could think better of it, he hauled her chair next to his and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pressing her face into his shoulder. She cried silently for a good ten minutes before she hiccuped and pulled away from him, wiping at her red and swollen eyes. “I’m sorry…”   
  
“Ain’t nothing to be sorry for.” He rumbled as she rested her head on his shoulder again. They sat in relative silence until she felt strong enough to go back home and face her daddy (who was a right mess) and her sister (who had no coping skills and was more often than not out and about partying her pain away.) Daryl watched her walk away and stood to pick up the cups. He noticed, with a self-satisfied smirk, her cup of coffee was still untouched, but the cup of tea was completely empty. He pulled on his apron and tossed a scowl at Carol, who was running around like mad to make up for his absence and shooting him a smirk that screamed ‘you’re in for it when we close’, and started to ring up a customer standing in line.   
  
“You’re lucky you own this place.” She said as she set some coffees down on the counter and went back to start making the new latte with a double shot of espresso and other crap Daryl only knew how to ring up.   
  
“Yeah I know…otherwise we’d both be out of a job.” She snorted as she frothed some milk for the fancy-shmancy foam trick she liked to do. Yeah, having Carol to work with was one of the few things that kept this place floating. She was great with the customers, and quick the orders. She was efficient and knew how to keep her head under pressure. Daryl knew when she decided to move on to bigger and better things his little coffee shop would probably close its doors forever.   
  
It was three months later, three LONG months later that Beth marched into the coffee shop and pushed past the three people in line to stare at him with a hard expression. Three months of long talks, and laughing, and drinks, and sharing about themselves (well she shared more than he did…but still.) Three months of visits happening later and later until suddenly she was there helping him close up shop and he was driving her home because ‘you can’t walk home at this hour of the night. What the hell is the matter with you?’ Three months, and here she was, standing in front of him, eyes hard and filled with determination. Three months and she was standing in front of him looking, just as beautiful as the first day he’d seen her, not giving one iota about the nasty comments and rude clearing of throats at the fact that she’d pushed her way to the front of the line. He smirked. “Can I help you?”  
  
“Daryl Dixon,” She started and he knew he was done for. No one had a right to say his name like that, and she said it like that EVERY TIME. “Why haven’t you asked me out yet?” and just like that he stood there, completely gobsmacked and unsure how to answer. “I like you, and I know you like me. So why haven’t you asked me out yet?” Her hands came up to rest on her hips, like a mother scolding their child, but she definitely wasn’t his mother and he was no where near thinking maternal thoughts about her. No, the thoughts he had about her were definitely more along the lines of x-rated and often resulted in him taking a nice cold shower.   
  
“Uh…”  
  
“‘Cause the way I see it…we’ve known each other about a year now. We’ve talked, and shared, and I’ve even let you drive me home…which is a lot more than other guys have gotten before they asked me out. So I started thinking…maybe I should just ask you. So this is me asking.” She smiled up at him. “Do you wanna go out some time?” He just stared at her for a second blinking once…then twice, before he took off his apron, tossed it down and called out to Carol.   
  
“I’m going out.” Carol snorted.    
“Yeah. I heard.”  
  
“Close up?”  
  
“Nah…thought I’d make this an all night joint.” She teased. When Daryl looked concerned she rolled her eyes, and stepped up to the register. “Go before she drags you out of here by your hair.” Carol winked at Beth who just grinned. Daryl touched his shaggy brown hair delicately.   
  
“I’d never.” Beth swore before taking his hand. “But I’m not above a little embarrassment.” She whispered, and rather than find out exactly what she meant by those words, he was pulling her out of the coffee shop and towards his car.   
  
“So, you wanna catch a movie?” She grinned at him.   
  
“Definitely.” She popped into his car, settling comfortably into the passenger seat. “Bout damn time you asked. I was starting to get worried.” She teased and he just snort and stared at her.   
  
“If that was you starting to worry…I’d hate to see you being direct.” She just grinned at him and took his hand before he drove off. The look on her face had him reconsidering. Maybe he would like to see her being direct. Hell, he knew he would. He like everything about her and he knew he wanted to see her in every way that he possibly could.  
  



	3. A Little Light Reading

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beth and Daryl meet at the library.

It wasn’t very often Daryl was left wondering what in the hell just happened. But when Beth Greene walked in, toddler on her hip, demanding baby books Daryl had just stood there and gaped. He’d seen her around town. He knew who she was. No it wasn’t that she was in the library that had him standing there mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. It was the presence of the gurgling little girl perched on her hip like she belonged there. He’d stood there so long, just staring at the kid that Beth had narrowed her eyes and been just about to give him a good what for until a volunteer named Sasha had led her away into the depths of the resources of the library. When the last of her sunshine gold hair (which looked amazing when it was curly and tied up in a ponytail like it was today) was out of sight Daryl was able to shake his head and get back to restocking all the returned books from the outdoor drop box. He was lost somewhere in the rows between young adult fiction and elementary informational texts when he heard Sasha calling out her goodbyes and just caught a glimpse of Beth’s retreating form. Probably for the best. He sighed and went back to stocking the shelves.   
  
He hadn’t planned on seeing her again, but damned if she wasn’t back the very next day, baby perched on her hip, and demanding more baby books. Rather than go anywhere near him Sasha instantly led the way and they turned a corner without a backwards glance. This time, he caught her before she left, and grumbled something about it being a cute baby she had with her. With a prim “Thank you.” She scooped up her books and left. He didn’t see her again for two more days.   
  
This time when she came in, she didn’t have the baby, and she wasn’t demanding baby books, which made Daryl sigh in relief.   
  
“Good afternoon Sasha!” She chirped as she waltzed into the library and continued past the circulation desk towards some unknown destination. Daryl couldn’t help but feel a little hurt that she hadn’t deigned to acknowledge his presence.   
  
“M gonna go stock books.” Daryl grumbled, pushing the book cart in front of him. Sasha cast him a dubious look before he disappeared within the labyrinth of isles. He found Beth, nestled in a corner of the library that was hardly ever used, sitting on the floor, against the wall on the floor, nose stuck so far in the book he was nervous she’d never be able to pull her face back out. “Scuse me.” He mumbled as he moved around her. He watched as she peered at him over the edge of the book before heaving a sigh and standing up. He watched as she started to walk away and he knew he didn’t want her to dislike him for what ever reason she did. He could stand most of the town not liking him, but not Beth. Beth who didn’t hate or dislike anyone in town (except for him apparently.) “Ain’t you a bit young to have a baby? Shouldn’t you be off going to school?” He blurted out and instantly knew that was the wrong thing to say. She stopped in her tracks and turned around to stare at him, her eyes icy.   
  
“Ain’t you a bit old to be volunteering in the library? Shouldn’t you have a real job?” She snapped back irritably. Her words stung. She instantly felt contrite. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.” She rushed out. “That was mean of me.” He just shrugged and turned to leave. He wanted her to at least not dislike him, but he didn’t have to stand there and take that kind of crap. He took two steps before he heard her speak again from behind him. “She’s not mine. I’m just nannying for her.” He stopped and turned to look at her for a second. “There were some problems with the birth and the mom didn’t make it. I’m nannying while her daddy is at work and the brother is at school. You know, to make some extra money.” He studied her for a second. “That’s what the baby books were for…” She rambled. “I don’t know the first thing about babies, except what comes naturally, which isn’t much. I wanted to know what to do for different things and what to expect while she’s growing’.” He nodded and took another step. “I didn’t mean it, you know.” She said softly. “You can do what ever you want to do with your life.” He gave her a grunt and continued on his way.   
  
Beth watched as he disappeared around the corner. She had a nagging feeling that she’d really hurt him and that went against every fiber of her being. She liked him, and that was probably the crux of it. She liked him, more than she probably should, and seeing the look on his face when he’d clapped eyes on Judith had made her go all protective and irate in the blink of an eye. She couldn’t blame him. She knew the first thing people thought when they saw a girl with a baby was that she was the mom and the baby was hers. She’d had Glenn, her sisters boyfriend, make the same assumption the first time she was babysitting. She really couldn’t blame Daryl for making the same assumption. She sighed. She wanted to make it up to him, but she just didn’t know how. She looked at the book in her hand, pulled a few more from the shelf and made her way the circulation desk. There was no way she was going to pass hours inside the library reading her afternoon away knowing Daryl was sulking behind a bookshelf somewhere. She would have to take these home and think of something she could do to make it up to him.   
  
When she reached the circulation desk another volunteer was there. He smiled as she set the books down and he scanned her card and the books. “Oh, these were left here for you.” He pulled a small stack of books from under the counter. She looked at the titles of the book and stifled a giggle. _Brain Rules for Baby: Ages Zero to Five._ Along with some board books to read to little Judith. She waited as the volunteer scanned them and then slid them over to her before gently scooping them up and carrying them out. She cast a quick look over her shoulder and caught a glimpse of Daryl stocking books on the shelf. She gave him a quick smile before hugging the books closer to herself and mouthing ‘Thank you.’ He tipped his head to her and watched as she walked out.   
  
~~~  
It was three days later before Daryl was surprised by Beth bouncing up to him and shoving one of the board books into his hands. She looked upset and worried and he couldn’t tear his eyes away thinking she was just absolutely adorable. “Judith loved that book so much, she decided to try to take it into the bath with her and I’m afraid I ruined it.” He looked down at the book in his hands. It was clean and pristine and practically brand new. He looked up at her a question in his eyes. “So I bought a new one because I couldn’t stomach returning something that was ruined.” She rushed out. “Now, because you did the horrible thing of introducing us to Mr. Llama Llama…you need to find me any and all books that contain Mr. Llama Llama…she wont go down with him.” She practically whined. He bit his lip gently and steered her towards the child literature section.   
  
“There are a few. C’mon, we’ll find you something.” She beamed at him. There were indeed four other Llama Llama books that Beth snatched in an instant and a few more she decided she might be able to give a try. “You think you got enough there for a while?” She looked at him aghast.  
  
“Are you kidding? I’ll be back tomorrow.” She smiled at him. “Maybe you could help me read some of these to her…I have a hard time with the guy voices.” She looked at him hopefully. To say his stomach filled with butterflies would have been an understatement.    
“I guess I can help out with that.” She beamed at him again before fluttering her lashes and casting a flirty look over her shoulder at him.   
  
“Great…then I guess it’s a date.” His breath caught in his throat.   
  
“I guess so…”  
  



	4. Senior Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Daryl rumbles back into town on his too-loud motorcycle, quiet senior in high school Beth is in for a life changing ride.

Beth and Daryl had grown up together, or rather, Beth had grown up knowing that Daryl Dixon was the teenager down the street who hardly ever stayed at home on account of his daddy, and then one day when Beth was about eight he'd all but vanished all together. That had made her sad, but not so sad as when she'd found out exactly why he'd never been home and had ultimately run away as soon as he turned eighteen. She'd never hated a man until she'd learned what old Will Dixon had done to his boy.   
  
After Daryl left, Beth had brainstormed how she could have helped (as if thinking of something to take away his past hurts would bring him back) but was left with an incomplete feeling in her soul. (Her mama always said she had a heart for helping people and sometimes it would hurt she guessed this was what she meant.) She didn’t see him again until she was in high school. Sixteen year old Beth, sophomore in high school, was the quiet good girl who never broke the rules and always, always, ALWAYS did what was right. During the week she worked in the library as a tutor for kids struggling in math (she wasn’t a genius or anything, but she knew her way around a theorem and a calculator well enough to help others out if they were struggling) and on the weekends she was either helping out on the family farm, or helping out at the vet clinic where her daddy worked. She was wholly and completely unprepared for when bad-boy Daryl Dixon rolled back into town on his loud motorcycle clad in his leather vest with angel wings on it.  
  
She tried desperately to ignore the way her heart pounded when he rolled by on his bike, and the way her knees went a bit wobbly and her palms a bit sweaty when he beat her to the door of the only diner in town and held the door open for her with a silent nod of greeting. He didn’t say a single word to her, but for that Beth was kind of grateful. She was all mixed up inside and had a feeling if he’d said anything to her she might have made a big fool of herself. She watched him from her perch in the round corner booth with all her friends the entire time he sat at the counter eating his food and drinking his soda. Only twice did he look over towards her (probably just to look around and figure out who was staring at him) and she’d had to duck her eyes away. When he left the diner Beth sighed a little sigh of relief. She’d been holding her breath practically waiting for him to come over and yell at her for ogling him the entire time he was eating his lunch, but he hadn’t. That night, after she’d left all her friends, and after she’d finished cleaning out the old hay from the floor of the barn, she lay in her bed, sore, achy and stomach all twisted and fluttery as she thought of him.  
  
Beth was not naïve (or at least…not completely) she knew she found him attractive and hoped for a chance to talk to him. She’d never planned on liking Daryl Dixon, it just sort of happened. She laid in bed that night, tossing and turning, picturing deep blue eyes and the roar of a motorcycle all night. She was a mess the next day when the whole town was whispering about how the ‘no good Dixon boy was back.’ She prayed no one could tell that her face felt a pinch hotter whenever his name came up, or how she seemed to get all clumsy at the mention that he was seen floating around town.  
Beth was an even bigger mess when, two days later, the whole town was breathing easier because  the ‘no good Dixon boy’ had moved on in his travels and was no longer a threat to their delicate sensibilities. She cried (though she couldn’t really explain why she cried so much) when she first heard it from Tara, which garnered many confused glances from others in the lunch room at school. She’d cried again when Maggie, her big sister (home from college for the week), said it was probably for the best since no one much liked him here anyway.  
  
Beth didn’t see him again until her senior year. School had just started and Beth was looking forward to finally getting this last year done with. She was practically marking her calendar down until her eighteenth birthday (only a month away) when she would be able to sign herself out of school and drive her friends around town in her daddy’s pickup truck. It was the single most exciting thing she was looking forward to this year…that is until she heard whispers that a familiar motorcycle had been spotted in town, graced with a man she hadn’t thought about since his sudden departure two years ago. (Really it was more like a year and a half, but who was counting?) Beth turned up her nose when Tara whispered the news to her during study-hall. She didn’t much care, she’d responded quietly back before launching herself into her history homework. At least, she didn’t much care to talk about a boy who’d gone and broken her heart without so much as a goodbye (not that he knew, or even meant to). Beth was looking forward to better things. Better things than a nice pair of blue eyes that made her heart pound.  
  
The moment she clapped eyes on him (once again at the diner) she knew she’d been foolish to think she could have ever forgotten him. He was all lean, and muscle and hard lines, and scruff, and it made Beth want to do naughty things to him. Beth felt her face flame red when he tipped his head to her in greeting as she walked by and mumbled out her name. “Beth.” It was one syllable, but the way it rolled from his lips, all sexy and rough and low, had her stopping and looking at him as if she’d never seen him before.  
  
“H-hi.” She squeaked out. So much for being brave and badass. She internally groaned. “Didn’t know you knew my name.” She said softly, trying desperately to keep her head while she had a talk with the single most attractive man she’d ever laid eyes on. Jimmy had been sweet (cute and sweet but not sinfully attractive like Daryl) and she’d never had a problem dominating conversation with him. Zach had been interesting (ultimately that ended with her feeling a bit uncomfortable) but conversation had been few and far between with him. He didn’t have as much between the ears as she had thought initially.  
  
“Course I do.” He looked at her fully. “You’re the Greene’s girl. Your daddy looked out for me for a while before you were born. You were just a kid when I left.”  
  
“I’m seventeen now.” She cut in. He thought for a moment.  
  
“Still just a kid.” She frowned and put her hands on her hips.  
  
“I’ll have you know I’m a lot more’n just a number, Mr. Daryl Dixon.” He quirked an eyebrow at her, surprised by the spark and sass he was hearing. “I’m strong, and grown up, and going to do more for myself than anyone’ll believe. In about a month I’ll be a legal adult and no one will be able to stop me from doin’ anything.” She crossed her arms in front of her. “Age ain’t nothing but a number.” With that she turned on her heel and made to stalk away to clock in (she worked at the diner now and was saving up to buy her own beat up car so she could go out and experience the world on her own.)  
  
“That it is, Greene. That it is.” She faltered in her steps as his mumbled response and paused to cast a quick look at him over her shoulder. She wasn’t done with him, and she wanted him to know that.  
  
“And for the record…my daddy always taught me that you say goodbye to people before you run off. Don’t know how you missed that lesson, but I’ll expect you wont make that same mistake again.” He snorted into his cup of coffee and looked at her sideways.  
  
“You want me to say goodbye ‘fore I take off next time?” She gave him one quick decisive nod. “Alright fine. I think I can do that.” She nodded again.  
  
“Good.” She turned and stalked behind the counter, donning her white apron and picking up the pot of coffee. “More coffee?” She asked sweetly and fought the urge to giggle when he snorted into his coffee again.  
  
“You work here?” She nodded. “How long?”  
  
“Almost two years. I’m saving up so I can buy a car.” He stared at her.  
  
“You ain’t got a boy to drive you ‘round town like most of the girls here do?” She scoffed.  
  
“I ain’t lookin’ for no boy to drive me around town. I can take care of myself.” She said determinedly before pouring him more coffee (even though he hadn’t actually said yes to wanting more) and moving off down the counter to take a new customer’s order. She felt his eyes on her the entire time she worked until he paid his tab and walked out the door. “He’ll be back.” She told herself as she pocketed her tip (which was more than she thought it would be) “he didn’t say goodbye.”  
  
It became almost a ritual for them. He’d come in, sit at the counter while she was working. He’d order a coffee (sometimes some food) and just quip and banter back and forth. Sometimes he’d stay until she got off and he’d walk her to the bus stop, sometimes he’d leave (on the days she got busy and couldn’t really spare the second to talk to him) but each time she saw him, her heart pounded a little harder, and her insides turned to mush. On her eighteenth birthday she was surprised to walk into the diner and see all the lights out and the place was empty. She checked her watch and called out for her boss, Andrea. It was almost time for the dinner rush…there was no way they’d be closed on a Friday evening this close to the dinner rush without there being an emergency.  
  
“Beth? That you?”  
  
“Yeah Andrea…what’s goin’ on? Where is everybody? Why are the lights off?”  
  
“Oh honey, did I forget to tell you? New hours today. Can you flip on the lights for me real quick?” Beth stepped up to the counter, grimacing at how dark it was now that fall was setting in and the sun was setting early. She flipped on the lights and started when absolutely everyone she knew sprung up from behind the counter, out of the kitchen and under the tables yelling ‘surprise!’ She just stared at everyone, her mouth hanging open as her mind tried to process exactly what was going on. Andrea walked out carrying a cake with eighteen candles on top and everything clicked. “Happy Birthday Beth! How does it feel to be eighteen?” Beth just laughed.  
  
“Feels just like it did to be seventeen, except now I’m worried about taxes and voting.” There were a few rumbled laughs from the small crowd. Beth couldn’t help it as her eyes scanned the crowd but didn’t see Daryl’s familiar face. She tried valiantly to hide the frown turning the edges of her mouth down.  
  
When Beth got home she found a small box tucked inside the mailbox. She ripped it open and inside was a small keychain that had a set of silver angel wings on it and a tiny, scratched out note (like the pen had been running out of ink) that read  
  
 _Happy Birthday Beth. For when you finally get those wheels of yours to start your own adventure._  
  
 _~Daryl_  
  
Beth had never loved a gift more.  
  
Monday morning saw Beth, good girl extraordinaire, sitting dutifully in her chair in her first period (study hall) when Tara, Rosita and Sasha all rushed in to crowd around her. “You are the talk of the town.”  
  
“Me?”  
  
“It seems a certain Bad Boy biker was spotted buying one keychain containing a set of silver angel wings.” Beth looked down at her keys where the silver wings poked out of her pocket. “Oh Bethy if you know what’s good for you, you’ll nip this in the bud and deny even knowing he exists. He’s bad news.” Beth frowned.  
  
“Sasha, you don’t even know him.” Beth reasoned.  
  
“I don’t have to. Have you heard about all the stuff that comes along with the Dixon name?” Beth stood, slamming her book closed and scooping up her bag. She grabbed her friends’ arms and dragged them outside, away from the rest of the snooping ears of their classmates.  
  
“Yes I have…and I’ll have you know that you can’t help the name you were born to. If you took a minute to actually talk to him, rather than about him, you might figure out he ain’t nothing like his daddy.” Sasha just looked at her and then to Rosita.  
  
“Hey, don’t look at me. I don’t have a beef with the guy. I’m with Beth on this one. He doesn’t seem so bad,” The rumbled of a motorcycle drew everyone’s attention, and everyone watched as Daryl rolled into the small high school parking lot on his bike, stopping by Beth and her friends. Beth could feel all eyes on her and the silver wings poking out of her pocket felt like a beacon.  
  
“Hey Greene.”  
  
“Morning Daryl.” He looked around as students started to whisper amongst themselves. “Thank you for…the wings. I love ‘em.” He quirked one corner of his mouth up.  
  
“Well I was wonderin’ if you wanted to go for a ride. I found a decent junker up the road a ways and the guy said it might not last until tonight. You interested?” Beth’s heart thumped wildly in her chest as she put all her papers and books away in her bag and marched over to him.  
  
“That sounds like a great idea Daryl.” She braced herself and leaned over to place a quick kiss to his cheek.  
  
“Well then, hop on.” And she slung her leg over the back of his bike, settling just behind him. Without warning her reached back and pulled her arms around his waist, and her upper body went flush with his back. The engine roared to life beneath her and it almost drowned out the sound of her heart in her ears. If the town was whispering before, they were going to be full blown yelling about this before they even reached the junkyard, and frankly Beth didn’t care. As they made their way down the high way, wind in her hair and sunshine on her face Beth couldn’t care less about the fact that everyone would be asking questions about how ‘quiet little Beth’ managed to turn the head of ‘bad boy Dixon.’  
  
They pulled up to the junk yard, and there amidst wreckage from crashes and old clunkers that guzzled gas was a small little yellow thing that just screamed ‘take me home’ to Beth. The damn thing didn’t turn on and had a flat tire, but Beth didn’t care. She turned to Daryl a big grin on her face. “Thank you Daryl it’s perfect!”  
  
“It needs a new timing belt and some spark plugs, but I can pick those up and replace them as soon as the shop opens.”  
  
“Daryl, you don’t have to do that.”  
  
“I know, but I want to.” She narrowed her eyes at him.  
  
“Why?” She watched as his ears and cheeks started to turn red under her gaze.  
  
“You’re the only one who has even looked in my direction, much less had a conversation with me. You ain’t like everyone else in this town, and you deserve to make your dreams come true. You’re gonna love the world out there. It ain’t all like this small little town.” She bit her lip and walked back over to him, studying him.  
  
“You know…I could use someone to help show me around?” She gently took his hand. “I mean, you’d know where all the good things to see and do are right?” He gave her a shrug. “I’d like it…You know, Daryl…I like you.” Slowly, so he could stop her if he wanted (which it didn’t seem like he wanted to stop her) she stretched up on her toes and gently kissed his lips.  
  
“Really?” He breathed and when she nodded her answer back at him, his arms slipped around her, cradling her like she was something precious. “Good, ‘cause I like you too.” He leaned down and captured her lips in a searing hot kiss that left her fluttery and achy for more. She smiled up at him. As long as he did that to her, whenever they wanted, she knew she’d never regret her decision.  
  



	5. A Sticky Situation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beth needs help getting out of a sticky situation. What she gets, is more than she bargained for. (Not that she's complaining...not in the slightest.)

Beth sighed as she ducked behind a wall. This was getting ridiculous. Beth was a nice girl, and because of that she had a hard time really putting a guy down (even if the guy really deserved it and she really wasn’t into him.) She just didn’t have the heart to be frank and honest and tell him to kick rocks. It was because of that that she found herself currently hiding out behind a building, peeking around the corner to see if Zach had left yet.   
  
Zach was a nice guy. Glenn (her sister’s fiancé) had introduced them. And they’d hit it off at first, but Zach was more into football and drag racing, where Beth was more into music and art. The longer they spent time around each other, the more it became apparent that they had less and less in common. There in laid her problem. She wasn’t even remotely interested in dating him, but had no idea how to break it off. As far as Zach was concerned (because he was so blissfully oblivious) she was over the moon for him and craved his attention all the time. Beth snorted.  
  
The only person she was over the moon for was Daryl Dixon. Long-time friend, and 100% not interested in her. She’d always been like a little sister to him (or so she assumed) and he’d never done anything to make her think things might change one day. Even the day she’d come waltzing into his place wearing short-shorts and a tank top (it was hot out for crying out loud) he’d simply snapped at her to put on some clothes before tossing a sweatshirt over to her to cover herself.  She’d grumbled to herself about wasted opportunity and flopped on the couch waiting for Ty (Daryl’s roommate) to show up with his sister, Sasha (who was thankfully back from college for the summer.) Even when Beth turned twenty one and had a party planned for everyone to go out to the bar to celebrate, Daryl had grudgingly decided to go, and only because ‘he needed to make sure she didn’t wind up in the gutter covered in her own puke.’ Yeah, there was absolutely no way Daryl was interested in her, which still left her with a man sized problem that she couldn’t seem to make go away.  
  
“What are you doin’ Greene? Playin’ hide and seek?” Daryl snarked from behind her as he watched her hiding out.  
  
“Shhh.” She hissed. “If you’re not…great.” She turned furious eyes to him and he was surprised to see her advancing on him. “You brought this completely on yourself.” Before he could even question it, Beth was wrapped around him. Her arms were around his neck, her body was pressed up against his and her lips were battling with his in a way he’d never let himself think about.  
  
Daryl sucked in a breath, trying to maintain some sense of control of himself but the second her tongue popped out of her mouth and started to tease his lips he was lost. He’d spent every waking moment since he’d met her, which was back when she graduated high school (she and Sasha were in the same grade and he’d gone to see Sasha walk.) trying to remind himself that a guy his age shouldn’t want a girl like her the way he did. He’d battled with himself time and time again when she showed up to his apartment in barely-there clothing during the summer, waiting for Sasha. She’d caught him one time, in a moment of weakness, and he’d snapped at her and threw a sweatshirt at her. She had no right taunting him like that when there wasn’t a damn thing to be done about the frustration he felt.  
  
When she’d turned twenty one he’d been wracking his brain trying to figure out how to make sure no one took advantage of her without being a creep, when she’d turned around and invited him along. He’d spent the rest of the night death glaring every guy giving her the once over and had even come close to breaking  a guy’s nose on the dance floor because he was getting too handsy with her. After that Daryl had decided to never go out with her to a bar again. She was flirty naturally, but when she’d been drinking she’d practically been glued to him and it had been hard to keep his damn hands to himself.  
  
Now, with her pressed up against him, kissing him, he couldn’t be held responsible for the fact that his hands settled on the small of her back. He couldn’t get in trouble for the way his mouth moved with hers and his tongue came out to dance with hers.  
  
“Hey Beth, I was just…oh.” A young guy’s voice broke the spell between them and they whipped apart to stare at a guy, Zach (Daryl surprised to find he knew the guy’s name), as they guiltily shifted apart from each other.  
  
“Hi Zach.” Beth chirped cheerfully beside him, like she hadn’t just kissed Daryl speechless. Like she hadn’t just plastered herself all along his body. “I haven’t heard from you in a while.” Before Zach could respond. “You know Daryl, my boyfriend.” Daryl’s eyes snapped to her as she reached out and took his hand. Zach stared at them gaping for a second before he nodded and shoved his hands in his pocket. “Well, we were off to go do lunch. Weren’t we babe?” His heart thudded heavily in his chest and he fought the urge to look at her with wounded eyes.  
  
“Yeah.” He responded dumbly.  
  
“It’s been great catching up, Zach. See you around.” She chirped again and pulled Daryl down the street, around Zach, and towards the diner. She let out a breath and chanced a glance at Daryl who was looking at her thunderously. She was going to pay for that. “Sorry about that…” She said softly, and dropped his hand. She wouldn’t meet his eyes.  
  
“No big. You really think that’ll fly? The first person he tells is gonna set him straight.” She looked at him. “There ain’t nothing between us…and you damn well know it.” Her eyes looked wounded and he stiffened his spine against the urge to comfort her. She’d just used him to get out of a bad situation. No concern for him and his feelings.  
  
“Yeah, well…it ain’t for lack of trying.” She mumbled and he stopped in his tracks, heart thumping. She whirled on him, eyes wide and scared like she’d just said something dangerous, and truthfully maybe she had. “I-I…Wh-what I mean is…”  
  
“What the hell you mean? You been tryin’?” She just stared at him, the panic mounting in her eyes. “It’s a simple answer Beth. You been tryin’ to get my attention? Yes, or no?” She waited a heartbeat, her eyes darting to the sidewalk before she breathed out her answer.  
  
“Yes.” Suddenly, all the pieces clicked into place for him. One step. It took one step (but really like half a step…or maybe just an awkward shuffle) to close the gap between them. His hands came up to cup her cheeks and drag her eyes to his. He searched her eyes.  
  
“You gotta be a bit more clear with your signs, babygirl.” he rumbled and waited. He was giving her an out. She could clearly see a way to go back and keep things the way they had been, but she’d be damned if she wanted things to stay the way they were. She stretched up again, still slowly, to kiss him, but this time he met her halfway. Their lips and tongues battled each other until someone driving by decided to honk and draw them back to their senses. They parted, each panting, and staring at the other. “So what was that about lunch?” He rumbled. If he didn’t get his brain onto something safe, he was liable to take her home and really make a mess of their friendship. Beth had other plans. She grabbed his hand and turned around the corner, making a bee-line towards his apartment. “Whoa, slow down babygirl. Shouldn’t we think this through?”  
  
She smiled a big crooked grin at him. “Daryl, I’ve been thinking this through since I graduated high school. I’m done thinking it through.” He stopped in his tracks. Damn, he’d waited too damn long for this moment. “Do you need time to think it through?” When he shook his head in the negative she smiled a sinfully seductive smile at him. “Then how about this…I’ll race ya, and the last one there owes the winner lunch.” He grinned at her.  
  
“Alright. On you mark.” He started, “Get set.” He took a breath. “Go.” Neither one of them could tell you who won, but then again, by the time they got to his door (many kisses and touches later) neither one of them was really racing anymore.


	6. Knock Knock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beth knocks on the wrong door.

Daryl opened his apartment door and stared at the little ball of sunshine standing at his doorstep. She was young and carrying a duffle bag (which looked about ready to burst) and a backpack, and she was smiling the biggest, most beautiful smile he’d ever seen at him. “Uhm. Hi.” He started slowly. He wasn’t expecting company, and definitely not company like her. He suddenly wished his apartment was a bit cleaner, but he’d set her straight and on the right path and she’d be out of his life before he could count to ten.  
  
“Hi Glenn!” She lunged forward hugging him lightly. “It’s nice to finally meet you!” She pushed her way past him with her bags in tow and went into his living room. Definitely at the wrong place. “My train got in early so I hoofed it over here. It’s not nearly as far as you said it was going to be.” She grinned at him. “So where is Mags?”  
  
“Who?”  
  
“Mags. Maggie? Your fiancée?” Beth looked concerned. Before he could answer her phone rang and she looked down at the caller ID. “Oh. Right. She probably went to the station to get me and we passed each other on the way.” She answered. “Hey Mags.” Daryl watched her face, waiting for the moment that she realized she was inside a complete strangers house, and not with this Glenn. “What do you mean where am I? I’m with Glenn, at your apartment.” She paused. “No…I’m looking at him right now.” Her face started to morph before his very eyes. “What do you mean Glenn is with you? How can he be with you? I’m in your living room with him.” Her eyes met his and she started to pale. “Y-you live on fourth avenue right? Apartment 2314?” Her eyes went wide and her face flushed red. “Oh…3214. Well…Maggie I gotta go. I’ll be at your door when you get there.” With that she hung up and looked over at him, her face flushing in embarrassment. “So…not Glenn…” She said dumbly while she pointed to him. He shook his head and watched as her cheeks darkened She picked up her duffle bag again. “I’m so sorry. I’ll just…I’ll just go.”   
  
“You know, if your sister and this Glenn guy are at the train station, they won't be back for a good fifteen minutes. You could have a seat while you wait.” He didn’t know why he offered but the offer was out there and he wasn’t going to take it back now.   
  
“Nah, I’ve already made a complete idiot of myself. I should probably just go before I make it worse.” She hedged towards the door.   
  
“So you’re visiting your sister and her fiance?”  
  
“Huh? Oh, yeah. They’re getting married this weekend and I’m in the wedding. I’m here to help get the last minute stuff done and then I catch the train back to school on Monday.”  
  
“Where’s school?”  
  
“Atlanta.” He let out a whistle.   
  
“Fancy.” She snorted. 

“I get by on ramen and mac n’ cheese.” She grinned. “But I’m getting my degree in something I love so it’ll all be worth it in the end.” He nodded.   
  
“What’re you studyin’?”  
  
“Music.” The look she got from him made her giggle. “I know…I know. I’ll never make a living with that, but I don’t care. I’ve always thought ‘get a job doing what you love, because you wont work a day in your life.’” He stared at her for a moment and then shrugged.   
  
“Makes sense.” They talked about what he did for a living, how he wound up in this town, about his brother and her sister, and before they knew it there was a sharp knock on the door. Daryl walked over to open it, swiping at his short brown hair, which Beth had declared looked more like a wet sand color than simple mud brown, but he didn’t care one way or the other. On the other side of the door, staring daggers at him stood an agitated Maggie. “You must be Maggie…my fiancé?”   
  
“Daryl…” Beth groaned as she elbowed him lightly in the side. “Hey Maggie. Sorry. I was gonna head up, but Daryl didn’t want me sitting in the hallway for fifteen minutes while you and Glenn drove back from the station, so we sat here and talked while I waited.” Maggie quirked an eyebrow.   
  
“Well, I’m just glad you’re safe. C’mon Glenn’s waiting in the car. Figured we were gonna take you out to eat but you weren’t at the station like we’d planned.” Beth’s cheeks reddened.   
  
“I said I was sorry.” Maggie hummed at her.   
  
“Come on, squirt.” Beth stuck her tongue at Maggie as she started down the hall.   
  
“Thank you Daryl…for not calling the cops when I barged right in. And for letting me stay while we waited for my sister to show up.” He hummed at her.   
  
“No big. Don’t go barging into any more strangers’ houses. They could be crazy for all you know.” He teased. She smiled.   
  
“Well, I better…” She motioned with her hand to the still open door where Maggie had been standing. “Hey…if you ever figure out how to text on your dinosaur phone…” She grabbed a pen out of her backpack and wrote her number on his palm. “I’m always free to chat.” She smiled at him and then turned and left. Daryl shut the door and sighed. Maybe not by the count of ten, but she had definitely walked out of his life faster than he would have liked. He looked over at his phone and then at his palm. Maybe he’d give this texting thing a try…if not…he could always call. She had given him her number. He smiled. Surprising how a little thing like opening the door could change things so much.


	7. Modern Art

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beth gets an internship at a big shot photography company and is excited to study under THE Daryl Dixon, famous modern photographer.

Beth squealed to herself as she opened her letter that told her she’d received her summer internship to help out with the prestigious photography company everyone had been dying to get into all year. Only one student from her program would be selected…and that was her! She couldn’t believe it. Bright and early Monday morning she’d be dressed and ready to learn from one of the best modern photographers of their time.   
  
Monday dawned bright and early and Beth was up before the sun, trying to decide exactly what to wear. She parked outside the building that housed her future (at least for the summer) and grabbed her purse and camera bag. She wondered if she’d be getting straight into the photo shoots, or if she’d be studying the head photographer first. That was a nerve-wracking thought. Daryl Dixon, _the_ top photographer was known to be extremely quiet and particular.   
  
She walked into the building and spotted a woman standing at a desk. “Hello. I’m Beth, Beth Greene. I’m here for the internship.” The woman looked up from her paperwork, one delicate blonde eyebrow arched as she looked Beth up and down.   
  
“Ah yes, Beth Greene. Right on time. I’m Andrea, and this…” She scooped up a stack of folders taller than a small child. “is all the filing you will be working on this morning. When Mr. Dixon comes in you will be sent to get his coffee. You are not to speak to him, and you are to leave the coffee on the desk in his office and then come back out to continue filing.” Beth looked at the folders and then at the filing cabinet in the corner.   
  
“I’m not…I wont be studying photography during this internship?” Andrea laughed.   
  
“Oh, sweetie, that’s cute.” She patted her shoulder and then motioned to the cabinet. “You’ll get a company card for the coffee, and the shop down the street knows his order.” With that she walked off and left Beth to the filing.   
  
Two and a half hours later, Beth found herself in line at the coffee shop down the street, holding a card with a company name on it and waiting patiently for the order to be placed on the counter. The moment the coffee hit the counter she scooped it up and dashed down the street back to work. Silently she moved to the door marked ‘Dixon’ and opened it, walking in and setting the cup down on the desk. She chanced a glance at the photos that laid strewn about the surface of the table and her mouth dropped in awe. “These are beautiful.” She breathed.   
  
“Ain’t finished yet.” She whipped away from the table like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar.   
  
“M-Mr. Dixon. Sir. I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to be nosy.” She scooted towards the door as she watched THE Daryl Dixon walk across the room to pick up his coffee off the desk. He took one sip and his face wrinkled.   
  
“Dammit. Lemme guess…you’re new here?”  
  
“Yes. Just started this morning.”   
“Andrea always sends the new girls out for the coffee and she always tells you guys the wrong order.” He set the cup down and Beth felt her hope die a quick death.   
  
“I’m so sor-“  
  
“It’s just coffee.” He sighed and looked at her. “So you must be the new intern?” Beth nodded quickly. “You got an eye for art.” He commented. He held up a picture for her to look at. “Tell me what you see.” She studied it closely, feeling like she was trying to pass a test. “I ain’t askin’ you to dissect it. Just…what stands out?”  
  
“The lines. The way everything is angular except for her in the middle.” She tilted her head. “The use of negative space and lighting is also really smart. I don’t think I’d have ever thought to do something like that.” He looked thoughtful for a moment.   
  
“Where’d you learn that kind of stuff?”  
  
“I’m studying photography and art at school. It’s why I applied for this internship. To better hone my skill, and to practice my artist eye.”  
  
“I need the eye in about ten minutes. I’m having a shoot and a second pair of eyes will be useful.”   
“Oh, but Andrea said I needed to finish the filing.”  
  
“Since when is filing relevant to art?” Beth bit her lip. “Don’t worry about Andrea. She’ll figure out how to get the filing done on her own.” Beth nodded, a brilliant smile on her face. She slipped out of the office quietly, intent on filing until the client showed up. It wasn’t until she heard Andrea protesting that she jerked her head up from her task and saw Daryl stalking down the hallway. Without a word he grabbed her hand and dragged her back towards his office. “Andrea, she’s an art student. She ain’t filing for three months. Let her learn while she’s here.” And with that he shut the door in Andrea’s face. Beth fidgeted as Daryl swooped up his camera and adjusted the exposure and other settings. He snapped a couple shots, adjusted a few more things and then started to rapidly shoot, moving around while quietly issuing commands and prompts to the model. Beth watched the whole scene and tilted her head. Something was off.   
  
When Daryl paused to look at some of the shots he motioned for Beth to come over and take a look. He seemed as unhappy with the images as she was. “C-can I try something?” Daryl just stared at her for a moment before he swept his hand out to motion for her to have at it. She moved to the background and grabbed down a darker backdrop, then she moved to the lights and turned them different directions, applying diffusers to some before she stepped back and looked it over. So intent on her mission she didn’t realize she was still standing in the way until Daryl cleared his throat. She scurried back behind him to look at the scene and felt that it looked much better. Daryl seemed to agree. He rapidly snapped image after image, adjusting the lighting and the saturation on his camera. While he directed the model, Beth moved around moving the lighting pods, and the backgrounds.   
  
They worked together seamlessly and before Beth knew it the shoot was over and the model was getting up to leave. Daryl was looking through his camera at the images he’d taken and Beth swore he was smiling (even if it was just a little bit.) “C’mere.” He said and she closed the distance quickly.   
  
Delicately he handed his camera over and instructed her to scroll through the pictures. She was so surprised at all the different images he’d captured, and the range of emotions that each one portrayed. Suddenly she landed on an image of herself, staring off, her face a mask of determination and concentration. It was breathtaking even for her. Her eyes landed on him and he quickly took the camera and moved towards his desk, not bothering to comment. “You did good today kid. I think I’ll tell Andrea you can graduate from filing…” He teased.   
  
“Thank you sir.”  
  
“Daryl.” He corrected quickly. “Sir was m’father and he was an ass.” She smiled and nodded her head.   
  
“Alright. So I’ll see you tomorrow morning, Daryl?”  
  
“Yeah…and this time…don’t let Andrea pick out the coffee.” Beth snickered as she turned to leave the room.   
  
“Yes Sir. Daryl.” She walked out without a backward glance. This morning when she’d gotten here she’d thought this internship was going to be a waste of time…now, she could definitely say that wasn’t the case.


	8. Wedding Bells

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beth and Daryl meet at a wedding.

Daryl sat at the bar, sipping a beer and trying valiantly to look like he was having a good time. His friend Glenn had just gotten married and he was one of the groomsmen, which meant he had to stay in this stuffy, uncomfortable get-up all night or until he got back to his hotel room. He watched as the bride and groom spun around on the dance floor (another slow dance) among all the other guests who were happily enjoying themselves at this shindig. His eye landed on a petite blonde girl standing off to the side. 

She was young, but gorgeous. Her long blond hair was done up in a fancy do that complimented her pale yellow dress. “Must be family.” He mused quietly to himself. Maggie (the bride) had been a stickler that all the family members wear yellow because that was the wedding color and she wanted all the family to be wearing the wedding color. Something about it coordinating with the flowers for the pictures? It still sounded ridiculous to him, but then again, he was the one wearing a black tux with a pale yellow vest, and lemon yellow tie and jacket pocket square. Maggie wasn’t a bridezilla, but she was far from being a push over either. She knew what she wanted and wouldn’t back down. She was just lucky that what she wanted wasn’t crazy (except for maybe picking yellow in the first place but Glenn might have had a hand in that so it wasn’t all her fault.) Daryl watched as the mysterious blonde tried to slink her way out of the dining room, only to be caught by another well-wisher and friend of the happy couple. “Definitely family.” He decided as he watched her talk and respond to whoever it was talking to her. Only family ever got congratulations (aside from the bride and groom obviously) during a wedding. 

She managed to pass off the well-wisher onto Maggie’s father and slink away unnoticed. Daryl dropped his eyes for a moment when he realized his beer was empty. He needed to remedy that. “Bartender…can I get something strong that’ll knock me on my ass?” He heard a dainty voice mutter a few seats away. He looked over and nearly fell off his chair as his eyes clapped onto the young blond girl from across the room, now sitting with him at the bar, ordering something strong and with language he never would have pictured coming out of that pretty little mouth. The bartender smirked. 

“Not without ID.” 

“Oh come on. I’m the bride’s sister…” The bartender looked unimpressed. “My daddy is paying for this party…come on. One drink?”

“I told you, not without ID.”

“And where am I gonna carry it in this dress?” Daryl’s eyes swept over her in the pale yellow gown that went damn near to the group. It was strapless and most definitely did not have pockets. “I swear I’m twenty two years old.” The bartender shook his head. 

“I could lose my job and the whole facility could lose their liquor license. I’m not serving you without ID.”

“What if someone else happened to buy a drink…and it happened to say wind up in her hands?” He heard himself mutter before he could stop himself. The bartender and the blonde both looked over at him surprised. 

“As long as I’m not putting it in her hands…” The bartender shrugged, knowing he could still get in trouble. “I don’t have to see anyone hand it over to her. For all I know…she found it.” Daryl nodded.

“Fine. Then give me a beer, and something strong that’ll put her under the table.” The blond snorted and the bartender sighed. He pulled up another beer and set to making her the drink. He set both down in front of Daryl and then purposefully turned his back while Daryl slid the drink down the bar to the blonde. 

“Thank you…”

“Daryl.” 

“Thank you Daryl.” She said softly and took a sip. “I’m Beth. Maggie’s younger sister.” Daryl grunted. “You were one of the groomsmen right?” He just looked at her. “Right. I wouldn’t have picked yellow for a wedding, but you wear it well.” She wrinkled her nose and took a deep sip from her drink, sucking in a breath as the alcohol burned her throat on the way down. “When do you think it’s safe to leave without the happy couple noticing?” That got his attention. 

“You ain’t having a great time?” He joked and Beth shook her head.    
“I’ve spent more time avoiding everyone today, then I have my entire life. Something about your sister’s wedding where people think it’s ok to walk up to you and start saying ‘You’re next.’ like it’s some sort of joke.” She groaned. 

“You should do that to them at the next funeral.” Beth stared at him almost horrified before she let out a loud laugh.    
“That’s terrible!” She laughed again. “I swear I’m gonna do it.” He smiled at her. “So where’s your date?” He shrugged. 

“Ain’t got one.” 

“Me either. So glad I don’t have to worry about people actually putting a face to my would-be groom.” He snorted at her. “Nothing worse than putting ideas in someone’s head.” He nodded. Beth looked over towards the dance floor as the DJ announced the tossing of the bouquet. She groaned again. “Save me a seat…Maggie would kill me if I didn’t at least go out there and try to get those flowers.”

“A right elbow to the face it’ll take down all your competition if you do it right.” She giggled at him again. 

“I’ll let you know if it works.” He watched as she walked over to the group a big cheesy grin on her face as she stood dead-center. Daryl could think of a lot worse ways to pass the night. Talking to the brides really pretty, and currently available younger sister was definitely a bonus. Yeah, he’d save her a seat, and maybe he’d get her number for after the festivities. He’d heard some funny stories about Beth, and now being able to put a face to the name (and an attractive face at that) made it all that much better. He definitely wanted to get to know the younger Greene girl. He signaled to the bartender. 

“Make me another of whatever that was.”


	9. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Glenn gets injured Maggie and Daryl decide to take him to Grady Hospital to get him help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poopie02 from Tumblr said: Hi there I saw ur throw some bethyl prompts post! Would you mind writing one where daryl and Maggie take Glen back to Grady to get help from Edwards and they then find out that beth is alive? Or maybe have Edwards not tell them directly but he asks daryl to go find his nurse so they can help Glen! And daryl goes out onto the roof of the hospital only to find beth green looking out over the city? Then she turns around to see him? Haha sorry that's so specific!
> 
> This is the result.

Maggie called out to Daryl, a frantic cry that had him stopping in his tracks. “Glenn is getting worse. We need to get him help.” She called out frantically. She went down to her knees, Glenn going with her. They’d been out on a run when a random herd of walkers happened upon them. No one had gotten bit, but Glenn had gotten knocked over by a heavy shelf and he’d hit his head against the wall. He’d been out for the past four miles, and things were not looking good. Maggie laid him down on the road, checking his head and opening his eyes to see if he was responding. Daryl watched for a heartbeat before turning and surveying the area they were in. He had a sinking feeling in his gut.   
  
“I know where to go, but you’re not going to like it.” She looked up at him.   
  
“Right now, it’s not looking like we have much choice.” She paused. “We’re not leaving ‘im.” Daryl pointed off into the distance.   
  
“Grady is another couple miles away.” He grumbled and instantly saw her face morph. “Look, Maggie. I know. It ain’t like we got much choice!” He turned when he heard a gurgling hiss coming from his right. He sighted the walker with his crossbow and let lose a bolt, watching only for a second to make sure it hit square in the head.   
  
“That’s where she died, Daryl. Those people took her away from us…now we’re giving them the chance to do the same thing with Glenn.” She argued. “Absolutely not. There has to be another way.”   
  
“Fine, when you think of it, you lemme know.” More groans and gurgles were heard as walkers started to come out of the tree line. Maggie pulled out her knife, taking a couple down while Daryl loaded his crossbow. They worked as a team to take down the handful of walkers coming at them.   
  
“Dammit, alright.” Maggie cried as she spotted more walkers heading towards them. She stooped down and slung Glenn’s arm over her shoulders, buckling under the added weight until Daryl scooped his other arm and hefted some of the dead weight. They were slow moving, but fast enough to stay out of the clutches of the walkers following them. They cut into the trees, weaving around trees and bushes to slow down the undead following them. It seemed to take an eternity for them to break the tree line and see the skyline of Atlanta. Daryl felt bile rise in his stomach. The last time he’d been here he’d lost the single most precious thing to him. He’d watched as her light was snuffed out, and then he had to carry her lifeless body down to the ground level where Maggie had collapsed in a fit of sobs and screams. He hadn’t even been able to bury her (which was the worst crime of all because Beth was one of the only people who thought funerals were important to pay respects.) He’d had to hand off her body to Tyreese so he could help try to take down the swarm of walkers that had come upon them, but it had been too much. Ty had had to put her in the trunk of a car in the hopes that they could go back and get her later.   
  
By the time they’d out run the herd, they’d traveled so damn far and seen so damn many walkers that they didn’t think it was smart to go back for her. He’d ached when the group had made that decision and briefly thought about going back for her on his own, but then Ty had died and Richmond had been a bust, and he just hadn’t seen any point to life in general.   
  
Now, staring at the dreaded city Daryl was glad he hadn’t. He was in no state, back then, to come back and deal with walkers, and he knew he probably wouldn’t have made it back out. He hefted Glenn a little higher up on his shoulder, motioning to Maggie to follow quietly. They wove in and out of alleys and buildings, making their way stealthily to the steps of Grady. As they crossed the compound (there was no other word for the front entrance of the hospital than that) they heard multiple guns cock back and froze in their tracks.   
  
“What’s your business here?” A female cop stepped forward, the cop who had kept anymore bloodshed from happening after Beth and Dawn had been shot. She was staring at them from behind her standard issue handgun and Daryl had to take a breath.   
  
“He’s injured and we didn’t know where else to take him.” Maggie said, trying to stay calm. “We don’t want any trouble. But…I can’t lose him too.” They watched as the cop’s eyes darted around before she lowered her weapon. Her hand went up into the air, a signal to the others to stand down.   
  
“Bring him up, I’ll have Edwards take a look, but if he’s too far gone, we’re not wasting the resources.” Maggie grit her teeth but nodded once. Together they hobbled past the cop and into the stairwell. Without a word they both started up the stairs. They burst through the door and Edwards stepped out of a room, expecting someone else. The look of shock on his face as he surveyed the situation morphed as he took control, calling out orders to people who were listening.   
  
“Wasn’t expecting to ever see you people again.” He said tersely. He motioned for them to bring Glenn into an empty room. Quickly they dragged the unconscious man into the room and laid him on the bed where someone all but ripped his shirt open to lay down the electrodes to read his pulse and respiration. His pulse was dangerously low, along with his respiration. Edwards let out a curse.   
  
“Is he going to be alright?” Maggie asked, her voice wavering from worry.   
  
“I don’t know. What happened to him?”  
  
“We were on a run. For supplies.” Daryl started. “Got caught by a group of walkers.” Everyone froze. “He didn’t get bit. A couple of ‘em knocked into a shelving unit in an office to get to us, and the unit went down on him. He went down and knocked his head on the wall. We managed to drag him out from under it and came straight here. He ain’t woken up yet and it’s been a good couple hours.” Edwards motioned for everyone to continue what they were doing. He pulled out a little flash light and checked the responsiveness of his pupils.   
  
“I’m going to need my nurse.” He said simply. “She’s up on the roof. Can you go get her?” He looked to Daryl.   
  
“You ain’t got enough nurses?” He snapped looking around at the three people moving around the small room.   
  
“She’s special. She…she knows more than anyone here aside from me. You want the best care for your friend? Go get her. Up on the roof.” He turned to study Glenn again, effectively dismissing Daryl. With a growl he turned and made his way back to the stairs taking them two at a time. He whipped open the door to the roof and took two steps onto the roof before he stopped in his tracks. Golden blonde hair met his eyes, and he blinked, thinking he was hallucinating. He studied her, knowing without a doubt who it was but not wanting to hope too much. Small frame swallowed in blue scrubs and a pair of beat up chucks. His breathing stopped as she slowly turned around. Blue eyes, soft features and a soft smile on her face. He almost collapsed to his knees as she walked over to him, a calm serene look on her face. _Beth._  
  
“Hi.” She said as she stood in front of him. She blinked and gave him a big brilliant smile. A smile he missed more than he could put into words. He wanted to reach out to her and make sure she was real, but he could see her, smell her, hear her. There was no way this wasn’t real. “I’m Beth. Beth Greene. What can I do for you?” 


	10. Roomies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beth and Daryl are roommates.

Beth tapped her pencil against the book she was currently reading, trying to get her head into her studies, and failing miserably. She could hear the music blaring in the living room where her roommate, strictly platonic (even though she’d been doing her best to change that fact), sat tinkering with a part from her engine that was making her car give off the worst screeching sound. She flashed back, for the hundredth time, thinking about how she’d come to be living with Daryl Dixon, the most oblivious man in Georgia.

She’d met Daryl Dixon strictly by accident. She’d been scouring the campus ads looking for roommate ads or rooms for rent when she’d happened upon a posting that piqued her interest. A guy had posted his room up, saying that he was moving in with his girlfriend but he needed to find someone to take over his current living situated. That in itself wasn’t what interested her, but the poster went on to describe the current roommate. It had said he was a mechanic and worked most of the time and was hardly ever home, so it would be like living in the two bedroom apartment all by herself. That had been a really exciting prospect, and when she saw the rent she couldn’t pass it up. She’d dialed the number and talked to an older student, Tyreese, about everything. He’d been hesitant at first, hoping for a guy to take over the room, but he’d agreed to at least let her walk through the place.

She’d definitely seen nicer places, but for the rent she wasn’t going to complain. Daryl Dixon, the mysterious roommate, had come home just as she was getting ready to leave and that had sealed the deal. He’d been covered in oil and grease and smelled completely like engine grime and something woodsy that she had come to just associate with Daryl, and she’d been hooked. He’d grunted at her and Tyreese and then bid a hasty exit when he’d heard she was there to look at the room. It hadn’t boded well for her when she’d left, but she’d gotten a call from Tyreese two days later asking when she was free to sign leasing paperwork and move in. She had moved in by the end of the week (a week before on campus housing closed for the summer) but that was the start of her trouble.

Daryl Dixon was never mean, but he was very distant when she’d moved in, and it had been incredibly lonely. She’d offer to make dinner for the two of them and he’d grunt at her (which she’d assume meant he’d like food) and then he’d go into his room, slamming the door and she wouldn’t see him again until dinner was done. Even then it wasn’t like he’d sit down to eat with her. He’d usually grab a bowl or a plate of what ever she made, mumble out a ‘thanks’ and close himself back up in his room. It had been incredibly frustrating. She’d finally blown up at him a month into living there, yelling at him that if he didn’t like her he could have told Tyreese not to let her move in. He didn’t have to treat her like crap. She hadn’t seen him for two days and was actually planning on posting the room again, when he surprised her one evening (an evening she had to stay super late to study and write a term paper) by making them dinner. When she’d looked at him with a question in her eyes he’d just mumbled out an apology and they’d sat in companionable silence eating dinner. Things had been a thousand times better since then, and she actually considered him a friend now.

Dragging herself back to her studies she groaned and dropped her head down onto her book. There was no way she was going to be able to read and remember anything about Early Psychology Practices today so she shut her book and walked out into the living room, slouching down onto the couch to look at the doodad Daryl was currently playing with. Daryl looked up at her and quirked a brow. “Thought you had a big test comin’ up.” She nodded. “Shouldn’t you be studyin’?” She nodded again and sighed, her head falling down to land on his shoulder. “Want me to turn off the music?”

“No. It’s the most boring text I’ve ever had to read and I just can’t focus right now. Figured I’d come out and learn a few things about car doohickies.” He gave a snort. Everything to her was a doohickey or a doodad. He’d tried to teach here and there, and for the most part stuff stuck, except for the names. He shook his head and continued to fiddle with the pieces as his mind wandered to the petite blond currently leaning against his shoulder.

When he’d first seen her, he’d thought she was an angel, all light and bubbly, her long blonde hair flowing around her shoulders. She’d seemed so innocent and way too nice and he’d instantly been drawn to her. Ty had informed him she was looking to take over his room and Daryl had to give himself a shake. This girl was going to move in and haunt his every waking thought with her pretty smiles and sweet voice and it was going to drive him crazy. Part of him wanted to scream a big fat resounding NO, but a bigger part (the part that had won out) had chanted yes, yes, yes. and just like that she’d moved in and it had been like living in hell. She’d make him dinner and try to talk to him, and she had no idea how she was driving him crazy. Causing him to have thoughts, thoughts no man his age (he was almost ten years older than her) should be having about this pure, sweet, innocent woman now living with him.

When she’d lost it on him, he’d seen a glimpse of that spitfire that hid underneath her sweet exterior and it just made him want her more. He fought himself for two days before he decided he could at least be her friend. Since then it had been a sweet sort of torture. She was naturally touchy feely. Usually sitting too close to him, touching his arm and resting her head on his shoulder, but he liked it, and so far he hadn’t let his mind run away from him. He could make this work and then she’d move on and he’d have these sweet memories to remember.

“Is it broken?” Her voice floated up to him.

“Nah. Looks like it needs a new baring and possibly some lube and screeching will stop.” He breathed. Her scent of strawberries and vanilla hit his nose and he had to resist the urge to take a deep breath. He looked down at her and her blue eyes locked with his and the air seemed electrically charged. He had been faced with opportunities to kiss his beautiful roommate many times, but had never worked up the courage to do anything about it. There was no way she would welcome anything like that from him. Her eyes flicked down to his lips and just like that he was lost.

Beth bit her lip when she looked into his eyes. She was going to just go for it. What was the worst that happened? She’d have to find a new place to live? That didn’t strike her as something Daryl would do. He’d never do anything to make her feel uncomfortable. With a quick breath she pushed up and her lips touched his. Instantly it was like electricity shot through her. She vaguely heard the thunk of the car part landing on the table and then his hands and arms were around her, pulling her closer to him. The angle was awkward and the kiss became strained but Beth was damn sure not going to let it end this soon. Quick as lightening she slid a leg over his and then she was straddling him, hands threaded into his dark hair as his hands gripped her hips. She could feel him through the thin layers of clothes and it made heat pool in her belly. The kiss ended and they both stared at each other, panting lightly, waiting for the first to react. She let out a soft giggle and a big smile before leaning in. “Bout damn time…” she murmured before she leaned forward and kissed him again. And Daryl couldn’t help but mentally agree. It was about damn time, and now that it had happened…there was no way he was going to let stop.


	11. Have You Lost Your Damn Mind?

Beth grit her teeth as she watched Rick and Morgan standing on the porch of their house in Alexandria. It was the first time since she’d arrived at the ASZ (nearly three damn weeks ago) that she’d been without some personal escort making sure she didn’t do anything stupid (like get shot in the head again.) It was getting on her damn nerves.   
  
Beth was a strong girl, hadn’t always been, but she’d gotten stronger after the fall of the prison, and watching her daddy die. She’d gotten even stronger when she’d been kidnapped  by those cops and held at Grady. She’d only just found out it was actually kidnapping when she’d gotten to the ASZ (everyone at Grady had said she’d been ‘saved’ from a group of walkers, but that was beside the point.) She’d become her strongest yet when she’d woken up in a trunk, surrounded by walkers, and had had to fight her way (yet again) to freedom. She was a stone-cold warrior and damn well didn’t need a babysitter to make sure she was coping with “life on the inside.” She resisted the urge to snort at the idea that Alexandria felt more like a prison than the actual prison had. At least there she was surrounded by family and friends she trusted. At least there she wasn’t someone that everyone looked at like she was some sort of a monster…or a miracle.   
  
She knew full well they’d all thought she’d been dead. Hell, with a gunshot to head she was even surprised to find herself breathing most days. Yeah, everyone had thought she was dead and that was why they all watched her out of the corner of their eyes. They thought she was like smoke, at any moment she would vanish into thin air. Maggie’d told her (once she’d stopped insisting she was dreaming…and then again after she’d gotten over the guilt of leaving her injured baby sister in the trunk of a car) that she was scared. Scared she’d turn around and all that would be left was the hint of her strawberry shampoo (which Beth was surprised to find they had in Alexandria) and a memory. Beth had assured her that wasn’t the case, but it didn’t stop the round the clock tail she had. The only time she could get away was at night, or if they thought she was sleeping. Cue the excuse she’d been using more and more often.   
  
At first, everyone had worried that she wasn’t doing as well as she said she was. It was a quiet affirmation from Daryl that had everyone shutting their mouths and believing her. He’d stared at her like he was trying to figure out a puzzle the entire time she was explaining to the group that she wasn’t sick, or dying…she just wanted a damn nap. When her eyes connected with his, a plea hidden deep in her blue orbs, he’d cracked the smallest of a smile and went on to support her. “It’s just a damn nap Maggie…she ain’t dyin’.” Maggie had turned her gaze to him, narrowing her eyes as if trying to decide to believe her. “She’s survived long enough to get out of that trunk, and all the way here…don’t think her takin’ a nap will be the worst thing.” Maggie pressed her lips together in a thin line but nodded one jerky nod (a sure sign she was angry that she was being overruled.) After that, ‘naps’ were easier to come by and she found herself finding ways to sneak around.   
  
She held her breath as she watched Morgan leave the front porch and Rick turned to make his way inside. Slowly she counted to three and dashed out down the street. She made her way to the wall and started to climb, inserting poles into slots at the joints (she’d seen Enid do this one time.) She threw a leg over and made her way down to the forest floor below. She was just breathing a sigh of relief as her feet landed and crunched on a bit of brush when she stiffened. “Have you lost your damn mind?”   
  
She peeked over her shoulder and sagged in relief as she stared up at Daryl’s half amused, half annoyed face. “I-I was just…” She took a breath.   
  
“If your sister knew this was how you were using ‘nap time’ she’d start sleeping in the damn room with you.” Beth bit her lip, fingering the handle of her knife that was tucked in the waistband of her jeans. “Whatchu thinkin’ girl?” Beth shrugged.   
  
“I can’t breathe in there Daryl!” She almost whined. “Everyone is so close to each other, and there’s other people…people I don’t know. People I don’t trust.” She looked around. “When I’m out here…at least I feel like I can breathe. I don’t feel like everyone is pressin’ down on me from all over.” Her eyes landed back on him. “Are you gonna make me go back?”  
  
“Y’know they do it ‘cause they’re scared of losin’ you again…right?”   
  
“Yeah, but Daryl…I’m not going anywhere. I can’t act normal if no one will treat me normal.” She crossed her arms in front of her, worrying her bottom lip with  her teeth. “Everyone still thinks I need to be taken care of, and it’s just too much. After…everything…it’s just too much.” He studied her, looking at her face, giving her the once over, before he shrugged a shoulder.   
  
“C’mon Greene. We never did finish teachin’ you how t’use my crossbow.” Her face split into big grin before she launched herself at him and gave him a big hug. She felt one of his hands settle awkwardly on her back before she gently pulled away. Without words he held up his bow for her to take. “Just so you know…” He started quietly, slowly. “I know you’re strong and you can take care of yourself.” Her eyes widened at him. “Strongest damn person I know.”   
  
“Really?” Her voice held a note of awe that made him shift and fidget under her gaze. He answered with a short ‘mm’ before motioning behind him.   
  
“C’mon Greene. Y’ain’t gonna learn to track standin’ here by the wall.” And with that he turned, leading her deeper into the woods. She shifted the weight of the crossbow in her hands before smiling a small secret smile. Maybe she could schedule a few more nap times, and if Daryl Dixon helped her to learn how to track and hunt, well then that was fine by her. 


	12. Mistakes

“Is there a reason you are naked in my bed?” Daryl jerked out of the half sleep in the dark at the decidedly feminine voice that assaulted his ears when all he wanted to do was sleep. He’d been on a run all day, in the blazing sticky heat of summer and all he wanted to do was sleep. He’d just made it back to Alexandria and it was literally the middle of the night…everyone should have been sleeping. He’d climbed quietly up the stairs in the house that everyone shared and made his way to his room. At least, he thought he’d walked into his room. He was so exhausted and hot and sticky that he really couldn’t be sure anymore.

Awareness flooded him and he took stock of the situation. He’d come into his room (maybe), shucking clothes and layers until he was completely nude and had flopped down on the bed that sat in the middle of the floor. He’d kicked the comforter off the bed and pulled the sheet hap hazardously around his hips. That was when the soft, half sleepy voice hit his ears alerting him to the fact that he was very, _very not_ alone in this bed. “Your bed?” He rumbled, not daring to move. He knew that voice and it filled him with a sense of heavy dread and a fluttering in the pit of his stomach that he didn’t want to analyze.

“Yeah…my bed.” Beth sat up in the bed next to him, her small frame illuminated by the moonlight. Daryl took stock of the room, the heavy sense of dread filling him even more and making him feel like he was going to sink through the mattress. Daryl didn’t have shit in his room. His room was basically empty, except for the bed that had been too damn heavy to get rid of. His bed was pushed all the way up against the wall (he didn’t have to share with anyone anyway) and his bed definitely didn’t have a damn comforter on it.

He wanted to jump from the bed but was suddenly very aware of his nakedness. There was no way he was getting out of this unscathed. He couldn’t form words as he felt his face burn in the darkness. “I…” What could he say? “Thought this was my room.” He rumbled but it didn’t help the situation. Beth sighed and slumped back down on the bed, shifting to a more comfortable position, which happened to be snuggled up next to him. “What’re you doin’?” His body tingled in awareness at the feeling of her pressed up against him.

“Going back to sleep.” She sighed, her head resting on his shoulder.

“You don’t…want me to leave?” His answer was the feeling of her arm snaking its way around his stomach. The feeling of skin on skin had his head swimming. She let out a soft hum and he dared to let his hand glide up over her wrist to settle on her forearm. So many things had happened since Grady and thinking she was dead. He’d been destroyed that they’d left her. He’d been destroyed that he hadn’t been able to keep her safe. When she’d popped up in the forest while he was hunting and recruiting with Aaron he’d thought he was seeing a ghost. She’d all but barreled into his arms when he’d croaked her name in that clearing. He hadn’t wanted to let her go, but as soon as they got inside Alexandria Maggie had been a permanent fixture attached to Beth’s side. (And really Daryl couldn’t begrudge her that.) That was why he’d gone on this run in the first place, to give Maggie and Beth some time without driving himself crazy in the process. He remembered their time in the funeral home, and the words that were _almost_ said. He knew where he stood on the subject, but he hadn’t wanted to crowd her.

Now…if he had to guess…he’d say she stood about the same place as him, and the idea had him coming up short. Daryl was no good with women. He had some experience but wasn’t what you’d call an expert. He didn’t want to blow this. “You’re keeping me awake with all that thinkin’ you’re doin’ over there.” She breathed against his skin and it made him smile. This didn’t have to be complicated. This was Beth, and she’d never once made him feel like he had to do everything right. Hell, she’d never made him feel like he had to do anything right. He just had to be him, and that was all she expected.

“Sorry.” He muttered quietly before turning his head and gently kissing her forehead. “Didn’t mean to keep y’awake.” She sighed sleepily before kissing the side of his jaw. The settled next to each other, Daryl just about drifting off to sleep before she pulled him back with a small tiny whisper in the dark.

“You can sleep here tomorrow night too…if y’want.” He waited a heartbeat before giving her his own hum of approval. He had a feeling he’d be sleeping here next to her a lot from now on. And he wasn’t complaining…not one bit.


	13. Getting Lost in the Sounds

Beth sighed as she dumped out the contents of her backpack. “Where the hell could it be?” She grumbled, sifting through the bits and bobs now laying on a blanket before her. Back at the prison, just after her eighteenth birthday, Glenn and Daryl had gone on a run and found (of all things) a little portable walkman. At least, that’s what she thought it was called. It played CDs and ran off batteries and needed headphones to listen to. At first it had just sat on the little table of her cell, reminding her of times back on the farm when she’d be doing her homework. A week later she’d found a package of batteries sitting next to it on that table. Three days later she’d found a set of ratty headphones (the kind that went in the ear, rather than over your head). It took another two and a half weeks before she found a few CDs added to her collection.  

She never asked who was giving her these gifts, but then again she never really had to. Daryl had always been trustworthy and never balked at any requests that were put to him when he went on runs. He never made a big deal about things and always, always, always found whatever was asked for. She’d mentioned that she missed listening to music the most from life before the world had gone to shit and it was shortly after that she’d gotten the walkman. Once she’d gotten all the pieces together (batteries, CDs and headphones) she’d rationed her time listening to the various songs, but she’d relished in every musical note that hit her ears. Today, now that Daryl had gone off to hunt, Beth had decided she wanted to listen to some music to help take her mind off all the crap going on. 

Sure she’d coped with the fact that she’d watched her father die, and she and Daryl (both) had worked through some demons after the moonshine shack, but every once in a while she found herself slipping back into the darkness and rather than let it consume her, she would listen to the catchy beat of some long-dead pop song and it would take her back. Quickly she shifted through the odds and ends sitting before her and sighed, accepting the fact that no matter how much she moved everything around, the music player wasn’t going to just appear before her very eyes. She shoved all the bits back in her backpack, rolling up the blanket and placing that on top before looking around. She didn’t remember leaving it behind at their last camp. Maybe Daryl had it in his bag? A quick glance around told her Daryl had his bag with him. She stood, brushing the dirt and dead leaves from the legs of her jeans, and looked around. “Which way did he go?” Biting her lip she strode purposefully out of their little camp, maneuvering around the string and noise-makers hung up around the perimeter. 

He couldn’t have gone far. He’d only left a few minutes ago. She moved quietly, he was hunting after all and would no doubt be pissed if she scared away any prey by stomping through the underbrush. When she entered a little clearing she stopped in her tracks. Her eyes landed on the back of one Daryl Dixon, hunched over his crossbow, staring down the sight (which was a common enough occurrence it wouldn’t have phased her) but he had on her headphone, the CD player sitting next to him on the ground and he was…he was humming! Not just humming, but humming loudly, and very, very out of key. It was so strange she stood and just gaped at him for a solid minute before she couldn’t help the giggle that crept up her throat and bubbled out. The second her voice broke the silence, Daryl stiffened and looked over his shoulder. The look on his face made her laugh all the more. 

She watched as he pulled the headphones off his head, tucking them away as if to hide the evidence, but the cheap pop song blasted from the tiny speakers making the tips of his ears go red. “This ain’t what it looks like…” Beth bit her lip and tried to nod while keeping a straight face. It didn’t work. 

“You know…if you wanted to borrow it all you had to do was ask.”

“I ain’t borrowin’ nothing. Just wanted to see what kind of crap was on the radio back in the day. You actually listen to this shit?” He wouldn’t look at her and Beth could tell he was embarrassed. “It really ain’t what it looks like…” She let out a hum and then moved to sit next to him. 

“It helps me relax too. To forget.” She said softly, soothingly. He looked at her with a scowl on his face. “You know what it looks like to me?” He didn’t respond. “All I see is someone gettin’ lost in the sound. There ain’t a whole lot of it nowadays…so there isn’t any harm. It’s not like we have a wide selection or anything.” His scowl faded and he could tell she was trying to make him feel better. Sooth his manly pride or something god awful like that. It was working. She smiled softly up at him and she lightly picked up the headphones. “Mind if I listen too? We could share?” Wordlessly he took one of the headphones and popped it into the ear closest to her and she put hers in as well. Slowly, silently she leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder while he scanned the area for an animal to hunt. If he started humming while she bobbed her head no one mentioned it. They were both just getting lost in the sounds.   


	14. Rustling in the Woods

Daryl stared down the sight of his crossbow. He took a soft breath sighting a deer before pulling the trigger and watching as the bolt hit its target; the soft spot in the lung-heart region. The deer went down and Daryl stood up from his perch, marching over to it. He needed to clean and dress it before he could haul the carcass back to Alexandria. Technically they didn’t need the meat, but seeing as how Aaron was out on a recruiting mission with his boyfriend today, Daryl found himself with nothing to do. Well, nothing but think about the one ray of sunshine that was missing from his life.

 _Beth._ Damn, how he missed her. Her laugh, her smile, even her learning how to track and hunt with the crossbow. She had been special. She’d pulled him from a dark place after the prison fell, and he’d watched the senior Greene killed right before his very eyes. She’d picked him up and pulled him from the dark hole he’d fallen into. She’d done it with her words, and her belief and trust in him. So much for that trust. That trust had gotten her kidnapped. She’d trusted him to meet her up the street. She’d believed he’d make it out of that funeral home, and had followed his instructions without hesitation, and it had gotten her kidnapped, and ultimate killed.

Daryl yanked the bolt from the deer, wiping it on his pants before loading it back into the crossbow. He scowled to himself. He wasn’t going to think about how it had felt like the sun had gone out when she’d been shot. He wasn’t going to acknowledge how it had felt like a huge chunk of himself had been ripped away when she’d slumped and fallen, lifelessly, to the floor. He wasn’t going to analyze the dull throbbing ache that had started after he’d picked up her limp body to carry her out of the hospital, nor how it hadn’t lessened at all over time (in fact it had only gotten worse.) He definitely wasn’t going to admit to the fact that, even now, he struggled to cope with the enveloping agony that swept over him every time he woke, and rarely left (even in his dreams.) He was trying to move on, trying to cope, because that was what she would have wanted for him.

She wouldn’t have wanted him to go back. She would want him to keep on getting better, and being good, rather than back-sliding to where he’d been before the moonshine shack, before the fire, before _‘oh…’_

As Daryl bent to start skinning and dressing the deer, he heard twigs snapping and underbrush rustling. He stilled, waiting and listening. Nothing. As he moved to begin again the same rustling started and without thinking, Daryl abandoned the deer and scooped up his crossbow. He moved deliberately towards where the sounds were coming from, following as snaps and rustling led him further and further away from where he’d started. He was hunting something, but for once in his life, he couldn’t tell what. On quiet feet, Daryl changed direction, hoping to cut off what ever prey he was following. He moved quickly around, dodging lose debris and branches lest he give himself away.

With a quick side step, Daryl emerged into a small (really small) clearing, crossbow up and ready to take the shot. He stared down his sight at the person in front of him, and his eyes widened. His eyes took in mused blonde hair that he remembered being longer, hard blue eyes that he remembered being softer, a soiled yellow shirt. His crossbow dipped as his eyes focused on the girl in front of him, staring him down the arrow of her own bow (a compound bow) until she started (as if seeing him for the first time). They stayed like that, weapons dipped down towards the ground, eyes glued to one another like they’d never thought they’d see each other again. Truthfully neither one of them had ever expected see the other again.

“Beth.” He breathed, but it was enough to jerk her out of whatever trance she had been in. Wordlessly, she dropped her weapon, stepping over them without a care. Her hands came up, fingers tangling in the front of his vest, as she stood up on tip toes. Her lips pressed against his and his mind went blank. She pulled back to look at him in wonder a small smile gracing her lips. “I thought…” he couldn’t even complete the sentence burning on the tip of his tongue.

“I know.” Her soft voice, heaven to his ears, floated around him. “They found me, in that trunk. They found me and fixed me up. As soon as I was ready I left. I went to Richmond but…” She trailed off and he knew why. There wasn’t much left of Richmond. “I ran into a guy who told me about this place, Alexandria.” She took a steadying breath (still, thankfully, not letting go of him.) “After Richmond…I came here.” He couldn’t stop the swell of pride that filled him. She was so smart and resilient. “Are the others?”

“Fine. They’re all fine.” He rumbled, his first real sentence to her. His head was still foggy and floating, unable to process that Beth Greene was alive and standing right in front of him, and that she’d just kissed him. She smiled up at him and took a small step back, and then another, until she released him completely. “We need ta get you inside. The others deserve…” She nodded at him, stooping to pick up her bow. It reminded him of the deer carcass he’d left behind. To hell with it. As she swung her bow over her shoulder he felt her eyes on him, staring at him. He fidgeted under her gaze.  “What?”

“You’re wearing my knife.” She smiled. “Take it off.” He blinked, trying to process her words. She motioned to the knife on his belt (her knife which he never took off ever.)

“So what if I am?” He challenged, a small smile on his lips as her eyes narrowed playfully.

“You heard me. Take. It. Off.” She held her hand out. “You gotta ask before you just claim someone’s stuff.” She grinned up at him and he could help the bloom of heat that filled him and made the tips of his ears burn.

“Didn’t claim.” He moved to unhook the knife before delicately setting it in her palm. “Was just holdin’ on to it, until you could come get it.”


	15. Dinner Invitations

Beth paused in the stairwell, listening to the voices coming from the hallway above her. She was on her way up to her apartment after some light grocery shopping but the voices made her pause. She peeked over the landing and spotted her neighbor standing outside his door with another man. She noted her neighbor, Daryl, looked annoyed, or uncomfortable, but considering she’d lived in the building for over a year and he hadn’t uttered more than two words to her, she could understand why. She took a moment to study Daryl. He’d always been attractive, and even just passing by him in the hallway made her heart beat rapidly in her chest, but she’d never been able to engage him in conversation. A quick “Hello.” and “Goodbye.” in passing was all she could really muster. He seemed to be someone who liked to keep to himself, and the things being heckled at him clearly made him want to disappear under the floorboards. Beth could understand. The older man was heckling him and saying things that made Beth herself gasp in embarrassment.

“Darylina…why wont you come out to the bar with me? You need to get out and get a little ass, man.” Beth rolled her eyes. 

Daryl wanted to groan. Merle had shown up out of the blue on his doorstep and the first thing he’d asked about was getting laid and finding some drugs. Daryl had hoped to point him in the direction of the local dive bar, but the second that had happened Merle had assumed Daryl was joining. Daryl couldn’t think of a way to get out of it without piquing his brother’s ire and just making matters worse.

“Merle, I got work in the morning, and besides…” He rumbled, but Merle cut him off.

“Work.” Merle scoffed, cutting off Daryl. Beth rolled her eyes from her perch in the stairwell. “You can blow off work for one day. Come on, there’s a fine piece of ass just waitin’ for you down there. I seen her. You ain’t gay or somethin’ are you?” Beth grit her teeth. She hadn’t even met the man and Merle made her want to scream.

“Hell, no, I ain’t Merle…but…”

“There ain’t no buts about it. You’re comin’ with me.” Daryl wanted to heave a sigh. This was going to be nothing but bad news. Beth clamored up the last couple steps, standing on the landing quietly. Her eyes landed on the pair and she flashed them a big smile. Merle let out a soft whistle and she struggled not to glare at him.

Daryl wanted to sink into the floor. The pretty girl from across the hall was standing in front of him and his brother, smiling away like she hadn’t just heard the awkward conversation Daryl was currently still trying to get out of. He’d noticed her when she’d moved in, but every time she talked to him it made him get all tongue tied. He often just grunted or offered a simple word in greeting or parting, resigning himself to the fact that she’d never want anything to do with a redneck like him. He heard Merle whistle at her and fought the urge to smack his older brother in the shoulder and tell him to knock it off.

“Oh, Daryl!” She called, startling the him. “I was hoping to beat you here. I got groceries for dinner.” She shifted the big paper bag in her arms, and then her eyes landed on Merle. “I wasn’t expecting company.” She neared Daryl, her arm snaking out to gently wrap around his limp one. She felt Merle’s eyes travel over her and tried not to cringe. Daryl tried not to act completely floored and surprised. What the hell was she talking about?

“Well, Darylina. Ain’t you gonna introduce us?” The way Merle shifted and sauntered a step closer to her hand Beth’s grip on Daryl’s arm tightening. Daryl reached up, covering her hand with his reflexively.

“I’m Beth.” She breathed. “I’m Daryl’s girlfriend. I live just across the hall.” Daryl started at that. He was so confused. They’d never so much as had a conversation, and now she was telling his brother she was his girlfriend. She felt Daryl stiffen against her and prayed to God he wouldn’t have an outburst and give away her lie.

“Well, well, well. Baby brother, you didn’t tell me you had a little girl friend, or that she was a mighty cute lil piece neither.” Beth tried not to let the anger boil over inside her.

“You didn’t give me the chance.” Daryl rumbled beside her and Beth nearly collapsed in relief at his words. “I can’t go to the bar, Merle.” His words were hard. “And you can’t join us for dinner.” Beth snorted at the blunt matter-of-fact way he’d put it. Daryl swallowed, watching the emotions play over Merle’s face. He could tell Merle wanted to ask them questions, catch them in a lie, but couldn’t do it. He gave a nonchalant shrug before turning to make his way down the stairs.

“No big. More tail for me.” He grumbled. “It was mighty fine meeting you Beth. When you get tired of Darylina over here, you go ahead and give ol’ Merle a call. I’ll show you a good time.” She quirked an eyebrow at him.

“Not likely.” She retorted before she could think better of it. Merle let out a laugh as he shrugged and moved down the stairs. When he was completely gone and out of earshot, Beth released Daryl’s arm and took a step back. “Sorry about that.” She mumbled, her cheeks turning red. “I overheard what was happening on my way up, and could tell you were uncomfortable.” She fidgeted with the bag in her hands. “Thought I might be able to help the situation.” Daryl gave her a nod. Her eyes darted around awkwardly in the silence. “Well, I guess I’ll be going…” She pointed down the hall towards her door before taking a couple steps in that direction.

“Thought you were gonna make me dinner.” She froze and turned to look at her handsome neighbor. He smirked at her lightly, trying hard to hide the fact that his face was flooding with red. “Might be nice to get to know my girlfriend, now that I know I have one.” She let out a snort.

“You want me to make you dinner?” She turned and faced him, a playful smile on her face. When he gave a shrug she grinned widely at him. “Well then come on.” She motioned with her head. “Can’t cook dinner here in the hallway.” She winked at him before turning to her door and unlocking it. She heard his shuffling footsteps and smiled to himself. This was going to be an interesting dinner to say the least.


	16. Making it Back

Daryl watched through half lidded eyes as Beth settled against the wall in the living room. He still couldn’t believe she was here. He’d watched her get shot, carried her limp lifeless body out of that hospital, and had to leave her behind when the swarm had been upon them. The guilt had eaten him up.

But here she was. Alive. And he couldn’t look her in the eye. Couldn’t stomach sitting in the same room alone with her. Couldn’t stand that shame and self-loathing at the fact that he’d left her behind. She’d collapsed at their gates almost a week ago, disheveled, exhausted, nearly starved, and dehydrated. Maggie and Sasha had been on the wall, and neither had been able to believe their eyes. It was Maggie’s screams that had drawn Daryl to the gates. He’d hung back, watching as the gates were rolled open and Maggie ran forward crouching next to a prone form he couldn’t quite make out from his position. Maggie had screamed for Rick and he had hoisted Beth into his arms and carried into Alexandria.

Daryl’s heart had stopped and his insides had run cold. He’d left her. She’d been injured, hurt, and he’d left her behind. He’d failed her. He’d wanted to disappear to lick his wounds but he knew he couldn’t do that. So he’d followed as Rick had carried Beth to Denise to have her looked at. He’d watched as Denise looked her over, writing down a laundry list of things before turning to Rick and Maggie and explaining that they needed to get Beth fluids and some nutrients to bring up her numbers, but other than that she was going to be fine.

True to her diagnosis, Beth had woken up later that evening to tears all around as Maggie curled up on the bed next to her. Daryl had made a stealthy escape as she’d stirred, not yet ready to face the disappointment and failure in her eyes yet. And he’d stayed away for the entire week. He was scared. He knew it. He could admit it. So here he sat, watching her curl up on the floor of the living room of the house the whole family shared, a notebook clutched in her hands.

Beth started writing in her notebook, but paused. She could feel someone’s eyes on her. She moved her head, looking up and managing to catch Daryl’s eye before he could escape. “Daryl.” She breathed and nearly jumped up to her feet. His heart pounded in his chest as he watched her walk to him quietly. “Daryl.” She whimpered before throwing her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest. She had so much she wanted to say, but she didn’t need to. “You’ve been avoiding me.” She whispered quietly as his hands landed on her shoulders lightly. He offered her a soft grunt, watching as she moved to look up at him. “Why?” He gave her an awkward one shouldered shrug. “Don’t do that.” She pleaded, releasing him slightly. “Don’t just shrug it off.” He could see the tears in her eyes and hear them in her voice. One single tear slid down her cheek. “Why?”

That was it. That was all it took to make him crumble inside. “I almost lost you. Thought I did, but even worse.” He choked out, “I left you there.” He rumbled. Beth’s eyes widened and before he could blink she was wrapped around him again, tightly clutching him to her.

“Daryl, you didn’t know.” She pleaded. “No one knew.” She fumbled over her words. “I’m here now, don’t hide away from me because you feel like you messed up. We don’t know how much time we got left, and I want to spend it with everyone. With Maggie, Rick, Carl…with you.” She tilted her face up to him, her blue eyes pleading with him. “Don’t…”

Before she could beg him anymore his lips came down to hers gently. “You’re right, Greene.’ He rumbled as the kiss ended, his forehead resting against hers. He’d felt like he’d failed her, but looking into those crystalline blue eyes showed him, that was the furthest from the truth. She was Beth. She was his ray of sunshine. She was his “Oh…” moment, and he wasn’t going to hide away from that anymore. 


	17. Teething Tyke

“This kid screams more’n anything.” Beth’s head jerked over to the doorway where her employer stood, making her heart beat faster. Daryl Dixon was a man Beth had only ever seen around town in passing. He’d always had the mysterious air about him that made Beth itch to get to know him, but she really never had a cause. So, you could imagine the surprise when he’d shown up at her daddy’s farm practically begging her for help with his nephew. The baby in her arms wriggled and screamed and her eyes darted back down to him, bouncing him lightly. It didn’t help with the screaming.

Daryl grimaced at the pained cry coming from the little tyke’s mouth. Thomas was his nephew, and Daryl still couldn’t believe Merle had been stupid enough to knock up a woman, but that was how he found himself in charge of a seven month old. Daryl had been minding his own business when a woman he’d barely recognized had pounded on his door, babbled something about his brother’s “fuck up” and how she wasn’t going to be responsible for it any more. She’d shoved the baby into his arms and dropped the diaper bag and little case of clothes at his feet and walked away. It had taken Daryl all of two seconds (about as long for the kid to start screeching) to realize he didn’t know dick about being a dad, and seeing as how Merle was locked up (again) he knew there wasn’t going to be any help on that end.

The first thing he’d done was call Rick and ask him what the hell to do. Rick had come over, clapped him on the shoulder and given him the address for his nanny from when Judith was itty bitty. Daryl had made a bee-line for the farm on the edge of town as soon as Rick had left. The second he’d clapped eyes on Beth he felt all sorts of uncomfortable. He’d seen her around town every now and again, but she was a teenager, a child. Now, as she answered the door, he realized it had been a bit longer than he realized since he’d seen her, or maybe he just simply hadn’t been paying attention. She was full grown, and looking between him and Thomas like he was crazy. He’d mumbled out his dilemma and nearly sighed in relief when she’d cradled the baby to herself, bouncing him slightly to try to calm him. From that moment on, that was all she wrote. Beth was an almost permanent fixture in his and Thomas’s life…which led to his current problem.

Daryl was finding it extremely difficult to ignore how he felt about his little nanny. She was kind, and sweet, and a little spitfire. She could match his surly nature and soothe him on a particularly bad day. She was great with Thomas and took no bullshit from anyone. And she’d gotten some bullshit from others when she’d agreed to nanny his little nephew for him. A lot of ugly sneers from those in town who knew exactly what it meant to be associated with a Dixon. Some snide comments about how maybe Thomas wouldn’t be doomed even given his blood. The minute the older lady had uttered that statement, Daryl hadn’t known what bomb had exploded. Beth had called out the mean old harpie, citing her own failed family history, and causing her to leave off in a huff and flurry. Daryl had been impressed and awed watching her go all protective mama-bear for his kid. He’d never worried about her after that, and that was nearly four months ago.

Now Thomas was seven months old, and teething. He spent more time screeching and crying in pain than anything else. Cold wash clothes, teething rings, Beth’s fingers, nothing worked to sooth the little guy. Beth sighed as she bounced Thomas on her hip. “He’s teethin’.” She responded tiredly. “I tried everything else. Today is just an extra hard day…and it doesn’t help that he’s out of medicine.” She sighed as Thomas let out a particularly loud shriek. Daryl grinned at her. “What?” She quirked her eyebrow as she watched him. She loved that small grin he gave her. He had a great smile (on top of being amazingly attractive) and she treasured every single one that he threw her way.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small box that Beth instantly recognized. “I stopped by the store on the way home from work. When you text me and said you were out, I knew you’d need more…so here ya go.” She beamed at him, stepping forward with Thomas. She watched as he opened the box and pulled out the little tube of magical mouth numbing elixir. He squirted some on his finger and then slathered it on Thomas’s gums. It took a few seconds before his crying stopped, but Beth and Daryl nearly sighed when instead of crying he let out a little giggle.

“You are amazing, you know that?” Beth sighed as she leaned up, without thinking, and placed a gentle kiss to his cheek. She felt her face flush bright red in embarrassment. She couldn’t believe she’d just kissed him. “I’m going to go put him in his bouncer.” She breathed before quickly darting past him to go put a very happy Thomas down in his favorite bouncer. Daryl watched her go, his ears burning, as his mind whirled a mile a minute. He couldn’t lie to himself about what the simple, innocent kiss had done to him. And he couldn’t lie and say he didn’t want more of them, in decidedly less innocent ways. He turned on his heel and followed her silently, watching as she set Thomas down and gave him his favorite toy. She turned and jumped a little at seeing Daryl standing behind her. “Alright, well Thomas is all set for the evening. I’ll just be going…” She trailed off. It was part of their routine. She’d watch Thomas while Daryl worked, and he’d take care of Thomas while he was home (practically living on the phone with Beth when he had questions.)

“Stay?” Daryl breathed, and Beth’s eyes flicked up to him. “I’m just makin’ spaghetti for dinner, would you wanna stay?” she was silent as she listened to him. Weighing her options in her mind. Daryl waited with bated breath for her answer.

“I’d love to stay.” She answered, giving him one of those bright smiles that made his stomach twist and flutter like a million butterflies. She stepped up towards him, invading his personal space. Without thinking he reached out and twined his fingers with hers, a rare full smile on his face.

“Good, I’m glad.”


	18. Nothin' but a Pretty Boy

Daryl watched as Beth floated around the prison quad, laughing and talking with all the new faces that joined their little group from the Governor’s compound. For the most part Daryl had managed to ignore most of them (even the women who seemed to always be underfoot) except for one punk. His eyes narrowed as he watched said punk march his way across the open expanse towards the object of his attention. He watched as the guy - what the hell was his name? Zeke? Xander? Zach!

He watched as Zack sauntered his way over to Beth, catching her attention. Daryl wanted to grumble. There wasn’t anything wrong with the guy. He was friendly enough; always volunteering to help out with the perimeter, or to go out on runs. He was young, only a few years older than Beth, but it didn’t stop Daryl from getting a prickly feeling down his spine whenever he saw the two of them together.

Beth arched backwards slightly as Daryl watched, letting out a big laugh that Daryl found himself wishing he could hear, and it only made the prickly feeling worse. He jumped when he heard Carol set something down next to him, his blue eyes flashing over to her. “What are you doing over here? Hiding?” She teased, eyes scanning over the people milling about in the empty space.

“Nah. Why would I be hidin’?” He asked, his eyes darting around, trying to watch Beth without it seeming like he was singling her out.

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed all the women flocking around you.” She smiled. “You’ve got yourself quite a following.” Daryl felt his ears start to burn and he moved to chew on the edge of his thumb. “I’m just teasing, ya.” Carol offered, noticing his small movement for what it was, a tell showing he was uncomfortable.

“Nah, I ain’t noticed any of them.” He said honestly.

“I bet. Just remember, I saw you first.” She waited a beat before Daryl let out a bark of laughter.

“Girl, you know I ain’t good for nothin’ even if you did lay eyes on me first.” Carol shook her head and stared off into the distance.

“You don’t think enough of yourself.” She sighed. Her eyes landed on Beth and Zach laughing and talking. “Now there’s something I didn’t think I’d ever see.” Daryl’s eyes darted back to Beth and Zach.

“What?” He asked, genuinely confused. 

“Beth, laughing and making friends.” Her eyebrows waggled a little and Daryl scowled. “She seems to be making quite an impression on the boy, Zach, over there.” Daryl let out a sniff of disapproval.

“He ain’t nothin’ but a pretty boy.” Daryl rumbled. Carol’s eyes darted back over to Daryl for a moment before she let out a short snicker.

“Wait a minute, are you jealous?” She asked, her voice dropping to a whisper. Daryl couldn’t stop it as the red crept up his neck and cheeks. He refused to look Carol in the eye, instead focusing on a group of newcomers milling around near the small garden. He wasn’t jealous. No way in hell. Carol shifted next to him awkwardly before bumping him in the shoulder gently. “I’m gonna go check out the supplies and figure out what we need for the next run, you wanna join?” When Daryl didn’t answer Carol shrugged. “Alright. Well, if you want, I’ll be inside.” Daryl gave a half shrug before watching her turn and walk past Beth and inside the prison.

Daryl noticed that Beth’s gaze darted down to him and she cast him a soft smile before waving at him. Daryl nodded once before tilting his head down to hide a small smile. Nah, he wasn’t jealous. Not. At. All.


	19. Thick as Thieves

Daryl looked around the deserted street, grimacing. Merle had gotten locked up again, but not before pissing off some very bad people who were now out looking to have Daryl repay his brother’s mistakes. He wasn’t about to have that. He spotted a small yellow sedan and let out a breath. It seemed old enough that no one would miss it…or if they did, there were enough that he wouldn’t be spotted too quickly. Quietly he walked over to the driver’s side door and tugged on the handle, surprising himself when the door opened with a low groan. He slid into the driver’s seat, checking the cup-holder and the glove compartment before groaning. Of course he wouldn’t find a damn key.

With a quick glance around he bent down, popping off the cover to the bottom of the steering column and pulled on the wires. He pulled out a small pocket knife and sliced through the wires before cleaning off a little of the plastic wire casing. He touched the wires together, grinning when he heard the engine start to click and turn over. One more stroke of the wires and the engine roared to life. He twisted the wires together before slamming it into drive and pulling out into traffic. Not really knowing which way to go he took the first main street he could find and followed it out of town. With the cityscape disappearing in his rearview mirror Daryl breathed a sigh of relief.

It wasn’t long until the scenery turned decidedly less urban and he was being surrounded  by thick trees that he heard something that made his spine stiffen. “You know…” a feminine voice piped up from behind him in the backseat. “there is a key under the floormat by your feet.” He slammed on the break, swerving to the side of the road.

“What the fuck?” He yelled as he hit park and whipped around to look at the petite blonde curled up in the backseat. She gave him a sheepish smile.

“Sorry.” She smiled. “Didn’t mean to scare you.” His heart was thumping a mile a minute.

“You gonna call the cops?” He rumbled, watching as the metaphorical bars slammed in his face. She gave him a funny look.

“Why would I do that?” It was his turn to give her a disbelieving look.

“Because I stole your car…with ya in it.” She shook her head.

“Nah, was on my way this way anyway.” She paused. “Mind if I come up front?” He couldn’t do anything but nod dumbly at her as she climbed over the center divider and settled neatly in the passenger seat. She looked at him. “I’m Beth.” She said with a smile, sticking her hand out. He took a minute to stare at her. She was small, her long golden hair tied back in a messy ponytail with a braid tucked along the side of her head. She was wearing a pair of pants that seemed almost painted on and a yellow polo-shirt. She looked every inch a ray of sunshine and Daryl couldn’t help but think she was probably the prettiest ray of sunshine he’d ever laid eyes on.

“’M Daryl.” He rumbled, taking her small hand in his big rough one. Her eyes swept over him and he felt the urge to smooth back his messy dark brown hair, or tug on his sleeveless leather vest.

“Well, Daryl…” Her eyes landed on the wires dangling from the steering column. “Wanna put the wires back into the car and use the key?” She bit her lip. “I’d hate to get pulled over by the cops and hauled off. I mean, I’ve made it this far from Atlanta…would hate to get caught now.” He narrowed his eyes at her.

“You a runaway or somethin’?” She giggled.

“Not quite…” She looked around. “You’re gonna wanna stick to the back roads around here. Every cop in Georgia and Alabama is probably looking for this car right about now.” She shrugged. Suddenly the pieces clicked together.

“You mean, I stole a stolen car?” He yelled. When she shrunk in on herself he lowered his voice. “Sorry…” She gave him a sheepish look and he took a breath. “So…which way you headed.” She gave him a brilliant smile.

“Whichever way you decide to go.” He quirked a small smirk.

“Well buckle up, Beth. I’d hate to get a ticket.”


	20. Feel the Rain

Daryl slung his crossbow over his shoulder as he maneuvered through the brush and trees of the forest. The carcass of the deer long since forgotten as he caught a glimpse of sunshine golden hair floating just in his periphery. Beth was here…walking next to him. Something he’d never thought would happen. He had to resist the urge to reach over and touch her, to make sure she was real. 

A loud rumbling split the quiet, easy silence between them and Daryl blinked, his focus traveling around the forest they were trekking though. The ray of sunlight were gone, replaced by a dingy darkness that only accompanied full rain clouds. His face turned up to the sky just as a fat wet drop landed by the corner of his eyes. He let out a grunt and Beth turned to look at him. He could tell the moment she was hit with a drop because her whole body jerked as she looked at the little wet spot on her arm. She looked up at him, a little slow on the uptake, but before he could speak the sky let out another rumble and opened up to drench them both.

Breaking into a dead run he ran towards Alexandria but knew they’d never make it. They needed to find somewhere to wait out the worst of the storm. He knew there were little shacks and cabins dotted all through the woods. He’d seen them on his way out to hunting…but now he just needed to find one so they could keep dry. He could hear her crunching the underbrush as she ran to keep up with him and it made his heart go into double time. This was real…she was here. It seemed like no matter how much he repeated the thought it still was hard to believe.

His eyes lit onto a small structure hidden mostly by trees and debris but he knew what it was and that it would be safe until the storm had passed. Slowly, cautiously he pulled his bow from around his back and held it up at the ready as he opened the creaking door. It was a small cabin, one room, but it was clear and dry. He turned to call Beth in but paused as he watched her, thunder rumbling over head. She was standing in the rain, hair plastered to her skin, face tipped up as clear fat drops landed on her face, a small smile twisting her lips. “Beth…” He called, drowned out by the thunder. He called again and watched as her blue eyes landed on his. “C’mon Greene, found us somewhere to wait it out.”

She held her hands out, catching more drops on her fingertips. “Daryl…have you ever just felt the rain?” He gave her a funny look but trudged out towards her, bow dropping down to his side.

“We’re in the middle of a thunderstorm and you wanna stop and feel the rain?” His blue eyes met hers and he watched as she smiled up at him. Before he could stop himself, his free hand darted out and caught the back of her neck, gently tugging her forward towards him. His lips crashed down on hers and he was once again flooded with the sense of awe that she was here…she was with him. When her lips moved against his he was lost; lost to the sensation of her pressed against him and kissing him. After so long of feeling like she was never coming back it was almost enough to bring him to his knees. She pulled back to look at him, her delicate hands coming up to smooth his wet hair away from his face. She stepped up on tip toe and pressed her lips lightly to his again.

“You’re right…” Thunder rumbled above her. “We should go inside and wait it out.” He gave a soft ‘mm’ in response and followed her into the little cabin, marveling at the feeling of her hand clutched tightly in his. What an amazing feeling.


End file.
